


Two Can Play

by Pembrooke330



Category: Archie Comics, Archie Comics & Related Fandoms, Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Jeronica, Riverdale, Veronica Lodge - Freeform, Vughead, fuckboi!jughead, jughead and veronica, jughead jones - Freeform, newgirl!veronica
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-25
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-06-18 12:56:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15486234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pembrooke330/pseuds/Pembrooke330
Summary: Veronica Lodge is new in town and has no interest in the bad boy Serpent known as Jughead Jones.When she finds that he is the biggest player that Riverdale High School has ever had, she takes it upon herself to get revenge in the name of all the girls he has hurt, especially her new friend Betty Cooper.But what Veronica didn't expect was where her game would lead to, and how it would change her forever...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story comes from an anonymous prompt on my Tumblr account. I hope the anon enjoys this!
> 
> I have decided to try something new and write this in first person from only Veronica's point of view based on inspiration by a fellow Tumblr mutual of mine :)

I’ve only ever been the new girl once in my life, when I started kindergarten at The Spence School in New York City. And I wasn’t the only new kid that day. Everyone else was new too.

But now, I’ll be the new girl with no technicalities when I start my junior year in some small town high school called River, uh…damn, what was the name? Rivertown? Riverland? Oh, what was the other chipmunk’s name, not Chip…Oh! Dale! Riverdale! _That’s_ it.

I remember my mom mentioning her hometown of Riverdale here and there throughout my life, but she seemed more interested in forgetting where she’d grown up rather than remembering it, much less talking about it.

But she’d been talking about it a lot more ever since my father went to prison for all kinds of shit. Racketeering, money laundering, mob dealings; you name it and my dad probably did it. She figured we needed a fresh start, something simple. But I knew it was deeper than that. Mom doesn’t know that I know that there are people that would hurt us if they could. All in an effort to get back at my father.

Moving to Riverdawn...I mean, Riverdale…meant safety. At least, it would be a lot safer than New York, presumably.

“But Lodge’s don’t run. Daddy _always_ says that.” I told my mom as we drove the three hours south of the city to this strange new place I’d never been to before.

I’d been trying to paint my nails a new shade of dark purple in the back of our smooth limo ride while continuously annoying my mother with my endless “but’s” and “what if’s” and “I don’t get it’s”.

“We’re not _running_ , Ronnie. We’re just relocating to someplace that will be a nice change after all the stress of the trial. We lost everything, but in Riverdale, we can rebuild. Just you and me. The Lodge women doing it on our own.”

She sounded more confident than she looked, and I humored her by staying silent. And all because I knew she was really trying to convince herself rather than convince me. I could only imagine what my mother was going through, and it made me sad for her, but happy for myself that _my_ biggest worry was whether the cafeteria of my new school would have a salad bar or not.

\---

We pulled up to the Pembrooke Luxury Apartments just a little after nine at night. Even though I’d been in the car for the past few hours, the drive had still been taxing. Maybe it was the anxiousness of arriving to my new home, or the way my mom kept tapping her fingernails on the car window as she looked out of it, deep in thought. I wanted to ask her what she was thinking about, but I decided not to. She probably wouldn’t tell me the truth any way.

Whatever the reason was, I was happy to get to our penthouse apartment, already fully furnished, and pass out in my new bed.

Tomorrow, I would start school, and I needed to get a good night’s sleep so I could try my best to charm my new peers at my new high school.

I knew it would have the potential to be an exhausting first day.

\---

“Don’t be late on the first day!” I heard my mom call from the doorway of my room as I stood in my bathroom trying to get my hair to curl just right. I wanted bouncy waves, but so far, my hair just wanted to be straight. I sighed as I gave in and took out the flat iron.

“I’m almost ready. I know today is definitely  _not_ the day to be fashionably late.” I told her as I finished up my hair and took one last look at myself.

It felt strange to not be wearing a school uniform anymore, but I loved it. Finally, I would get to show off my fashion sense on a daily basis and not just on special occasions.

“You looks gorgeous, Veronica!” My mother said with a big grin on her face when I’d walked back into my room.

I was relieved that she seemed genuine in her sentiments regarding my First Day outfit. I wanted to look my very best, and had opted to wear my favorite black button up sweater with my eggplant purple pencil skirt. First impressions were _everything_.

“But you need to button up that sweater a bit.” She suddenly said sternly as she pointed at my top.

I rolled my eyes. Did she not understand that there would be _boys_ at my school? Boys at school. What a concept! After being at an all-girl school my whole life, I would actually get a chance to walk the halls with boys! And hopefully loads of cute ones. Hell, I didn’t even care if they were cute, I was just happy that I wouldn’t be surrounded by nothing but those of the estrogen variety all day, every day.

“I will only be buttoning up this sweater if it comes with the threat of being expelled.” I replied as I grabbed my purse and did one last check of my lipstick in the mirror hanging over my dresser.

Mom sighed, apparently deciding that this was one of our classic battles with each other she wasn’t going to try and win.

\---

Normally, pulling up in front of school in the back of a sleek, black town car wouldn’t have even fazed me, but doing something like that at a public school in a small town didn’t seem right. It would be pretentious, and I did _not_ want the reputation of being pretentious.

“Smithers, can you just drop me off here?” I asked as our new, personal driver and doorman slowed down near the football field.

The walk to the front of the school didn’t seem too far and I didn’t want to show the world that I was some sort of nose-in-the-air snob. I mean, I’m self-aware enough to know how I come across to people, and I _definitely_ come across as a bitchy snob sometimes. But I desperately wanted that to be the _old_ me. I wanted to start my new life in Riverdale with a new attitude, a new way of being, a new persona.

It might not start out completely natural, but it would in time. Fake it until you make it, they say.

Besides, Madonna is always reinventing herself. Why can’t Veronica Lodge?

My heart was racing as I exited the car, after refusing to let Smithers get out and open the door for me. I began to carefully walk in my new heels to the front doors of my new school.

Already, I could feel eyes on me. Riverdale was so small that it seemed as though they could tell someone was new from a mile away. No doubt that they knew I was new, and I felt incredibly insecure all of a sudden.

And insecurity wasn’t a feeling I was used to, but I took a deep breath. Being uncomfortable meant growth, and I was ready to grow.

I tried to take my mind off of my unease by checking out the boys. Even though I’d gone to a school for girls only, I’d still managed to have boyfriends. But they’d mostly been the sons of my parent’s friends. This would be the first time I’d meet boys that didn’t have trust funds and private jets. Boys who didn’t attend dinner parties and polo matches. Boys who didn’t know who my father was. What a plus!

I suddenly had a feeling of relief.

“Hi, I’m looking for my peer tour guide. Betty Cooper?” I asked the gray-haired woman standing at the counter of the front office with a stack of papers in her hand.

“Here I am!” I heard panicked voice say behind me.

I turned around to see an adorably cute girl with a blond ponytail entering the office.

“I was so afraid I was going to be late. Leave it to me to cause your first day to start on the wrong foot!” The girl said as she held out her hand.

“Betty Cooper. Great to meet you! Veronica, right?”

I nodded as I shook her hand.

“Nice to meet you, Betty. Thank you for taking on the task of showing me around. I’m a bit overwhelmed.” I said, honestly.

I really _was_ overwhelmed, which wasn’t something I would normally admit, but it was all a part of me trying to be the new me. The new me could allow herself to be vulnerable _and_ honest.

Riverdale High School was so different than Spence, and in so many ways. I had never seen rows and rows of lockers in the hallways except in movies. I had never seen banners on walls talking about safe sex hotlines and anti-bullying campaigns. I had never seen boys in letterman jackets hanging out, teasing and punching each other in the arm, then laughing.

I had walked into a whole new world. And as frightening as it was, I was fascinated by it regardless.

“Well, that’s why I’m here. To make sure you get acclimated as seamlessly as possible.”

Something about the way Betty spoke made me believe her, and I liked her already.

\---

“If you’d like to write for the Blue and Gold, let me know. As the editor-in-chief, I’m always looking for new columnists.” Betty told me after she showed me the office of the school newspaper.

“A fresh voice like yours would be a welcome addition. We don’t get a lot of big city people around here.”

I chuckled, she was already trying to recruit me so that I could be a part of something, and I couldn’t help but be flattered, and grateful.

“But you don’t even know if I can write.”

Betty shook her head.

“I know that you’re smart. I knew it as soon as you quoted Capote back when I was showing you the gymnasium. You’re obviously well read, which means you can write too.”

I was just about to tell Betty how much I loved In Cold Blood when out of nowhere a look of pure anguish came over her face.

“What’s wrong, Betty?” I asked as I looked over in the direction where her eyes were fixed, as if she was a deer caught in headlights.

The only thing I saw was a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy wearing a knit beanie and leather jacket. He was smiling as he spoke to a short brunette, with an air of confidence that wasn’t typical for most teenage boys as he leaned against a locker, his arms crossed over his chest.

There was definitely something different about this particular boy, but what it was, I wasn’t sure.

“My ex-boyfriend. He dumped me last school year. I haven’t…I haven’t seen him all summer.”

Now it made sense why Betty looked so stunned, as if she would really like to throw up all over the freshly waxed linoleum of the school hallway. As if puking would somehow purge herself of whatever she was still feeling for Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.

He didn’t really seem like Betty’s type, so I couldn’t help but wonder out loud why she wasn’t over him yet.

“I wish I knew, V. He changed so much after he joined the Serpents. I…I feel like I don’t even know Jughead anymore.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Jughead? You’re still sweating a guy named _Jughead_?”

I wasn’t trying to be insensitive, but I wanted Betty to see the humor in the situation like I did. I didn’t want her to be hurting over someone who dumped her, especially when it had been at least three months earlier. Even though I had just met her, she seemed sweet. Too sweet to be letting some guy make her feel like shit.

“You don’t understand, Veronica. Jughead Jones...he isn't like other guys.”

 

To be continued…

 


	2. Chapter 2

“I like this place. It has a great _Grease, Rebel Without a Cause, Bye Bye Birdie_ vibe.”

Betty had brought be to a place called Pop’s Chock-Lit Shoppe after school. Almost right away I could tell that this was the Riverdale High hangout seeing as how there were so many patrons in the diner that the crowds of teenagers had spilled out into the parking lot to eat the fare that Pop's had to offer.

I had only ever seen this kind of place in movies, and I suddenly felt as if I had jumped into my own greaser teen, coming of age film.

Betty nodded as she gulped down a sip of her strawberry milkshake.

“Pop’s is classic Americana. And the best place to eat in all of Riverdale.”

I didn’t doubt Betty for a second. The grilled chicken salad I had ordered was incredible, as well as the double chocolate milkshake.

“So, tell me about Mr. Leather Jacket Serpent guy.” I said, knowing that one reason why Betty had decided to treat me to a late lunch was due to her need to talk about the boy who had broken her heart.

“I take it he was your first kiss, first love…first…everything else?”

The sudden blush in Betty’s cheeks told me I was right. It was that first love that always made it hard for us to let go once it was over. I knew how she felt, but it had been a couple of years since I’d gone through my first breakup with the guy that had been my first everything.

“He was, but…Jughead was more than that. I’ve known him since we were kids. He was my friend, then my best friend, and then…he was more. I never knew I could love someone the way I loved him. And…when it ended…I guess I just didn’t expect it would hurt as much as it did.”

I understood everything she was telling me. I knew exactly what she was going through from having gone through it myself.

“It takes time, Betty. And you _have_ to be patient with yourself. Has it gotten any better at all?”

Betty sighed.

“It has. The distance that I had from him over the summer really _did_ help. But I would hear all of these rumors about him. Rumors that hurt a lot."

She sighed deeply before continuing.

"I kept hearing people talking about how he was making his way through every girl he crossed paths with. He’d become this massive playboy. I thought it was some kind of stupid joke. That was until I saw Cheryl Blossom one night here at Pop’s so angry that she was crying. If you knew Cheryl, you’d know how bizarre it is to see her cry. But she was so upset. She was talking to her friend Ginger about how she had thought Jughead was different. That he had conned her into thinking he was a good, sweet guy. That she had fallen for him, slept with him, and then he dumped her a few days later. I couldn’t believe it! That didn’t sound like the Jughead I know. So I asked Archie about it.”

I was completely riveted by what Betty was telling me. Her story of Jughead would make perfect soap opera material.

But I had to stop her.

“Okay, wait. Who’s Archie again?”

Betty smiled.

“He’s my best friend. We grew up next door from each other. He’s also Jughead’s best friend, though, Jughead and Archie haven’t been hanging out much ever since Jughead joined the Serpents. But Archie wasn't much help. He said he'd barely talked to Jughead, other than when Jughead had asked to borrow Archie's truck a few times. Apparently Jughead had a few dates that were afraid of riding on his motorcycle.”

Yes, now I remembered. Archie was the cute, red-headed, football jock I saw sitting in the back of my Biology class. I never would have guessed that he and the dark, brooding Jughead were best friends. This was getting even _more_ interesting.

“And who are the Serpents?” I asked, only knowing that is was something Jughead had recently gotten involved in.

Betty chuckled at my need for clarification. But I wanted to make sure I understood the whole story before I gave Betty my analysis of it.

“They’re a biker gang from the Southside of town. The younger members used to go to Southside High until the school got condemned by the health department. Now they all go to Riverdale. Jughead’s dad is the leader and Jughead joined up with them at the end of last school year. And I don’t know…it just…it _changed_ him.”

She looked out of the window, as if she was remembering a past that wasn’t so long ago, wishing she could go back to it.

“Changed how? He’s sleeping around a lot now? He’s being a total fuck boy?”

Betty nodded, as if she didn’t want to say the words herself, but I sure as hell wasn’t afraid to. Jughead sounded like a total asshole to me.

“Sounds like Jughead suddenly developed an oversized ego when he joined his daddy’s gang. Along with his newfound confidence came a slew of interested young women. And now he thinks he’s God’s gift.”

Betty smiled, shaking her head. I was glad she seemed to find the humor in my evaluation of the whole situation. But all I really wanted to do was help her feel better. She was too nice of a girl to have to deal with some douchebag named Jughead Jones.

“What did he say to you when he broke up with you?”

I knew asking her this particular question wasn’t something she would readily want to answer, having to dredge up a conversation that she would most likely want to forget, but I always have to do thorough research in every situation. It’s a quality that I’m sure I get from my dad.

Betty huffed, obviously still angry at the memory of Jughead’s decision to end their relationship.

“He told me that he didn’t feel as though I supported his decision to join the Serpents. That it wasn’t fair for me to ‘hold him back’ and maybe we should take a break before things go down a really dark road between us. He acted like he was doing us both a huge favor by suggesting we breakup. He told me that it’s been a wonderful experience being with me, but that he needed to see what else was out there. And then, it was a week later when I heard the first rumor about him hooking up with Josie McCoy. I was in total disbelief. I still have a hard time believing it, except for the fact that I saw how pissed off Josie looked today when she noticed Jughead sitting with Midge Klump at lunch.”

Just based on what Betty had told me, I already had this clown, Jughead, pegged. He was the guy that always got ignored. He had been overlooked so many times, by everyone, and all those times had added up into one giant chip of rejection on his shoulder.

But Betty had been the girl that had actually noticed him, wanted to be with him, genuinely loved him. And he was happy.

He didn’t anticipate what would happen when he put on that Serpent jacket. But, out of nowhere, girls were paying attention. The bad boy in leather on a motorcycle is like pure crack to us women. So Jughead became a challenge, a mystery, the wild rebel that the ladies of Riverdale High were desperate to tame.

Some other girl showed an obvious enough interest in him, batted her eyes at him, and suddenly, _his_ interest in the one girl who had loved him before anyone else even gave him a second look, had waned.

It was the classic nerd to hottie trope, and poor Betty had been the collateral damage.

There was only one thing I could think to say to her to try and help. But now I felt as though I had a real purpose for being in Riverdale. And it was to help Betty get even.

“Betty, I know you care about him a lot, and that watching him go down this obnoxious road of total conceit has been an absolute shit show, but…you’re better off without him. You don’t need that kind of bullshit in your life. And someday, when he regrets how he treated you, you’ll feel the validation that I know you wish you could have right now. Time is on your side, girl. Trust me.”

\---

“I keep hoping that he’ll eventually fall hard for one of these random hookups and that he gets dumped just as badly as he dumped me.”

Betty and I were sitting at Rivervixen tryouts after I’d managed to convince her to go out for the squad with me. Figuring that doing something new might help her to move on. But she was still talking about Jughead.

I could tell she wanted closure, but that maybe closure could only come in the form of pain for her former boyfriend turned narcissistic jerk.

She had made it clear to me that she didn’t want Jughead back, not unless he went back to being the old Jughead, and even then, she would be far too hesitant to ever take him back if he asked. He had really done a number on the Riverdale sweetheart and I couldn’t help but wonder if there was a lot more to Mr. Jones that I didn’t know.

I wanted to ask Betty for all the dirty details, but I dared not. I had to keep in mind that she was a lot different than I was. She hadn’t been exposed to the things I had. And there was something about her naiveté that I envied. Plus, I didn’t want her to think I was getting too personal too fast. She was the only friend I had made so far, and I didn’t want to lose her already.

“I don’t mean to hurtle my way into the conversation between you and the raven-haired fresh meat, Bettykins. But are you, by chance, speaking of the ax wound that is Forsythe Pendleton Jones the third?”

I couldn’t help but laugh as I looked up to see a girl with long, auburn hair standing over me and Betty.

“Oh my God! No wonder he goes by Jughead!”

Both girls immediately shushed me. I clapped my hand over my mouth, still attempting to stifle my giggles.

“Yes, Cheryl, I am. By the way, Cheryl Blossom, meet the fresh meat. Her name is Veronica Lodge from New York City.”

Cheryl held out her hand to shake mine.

“A pleasure. New York is my favorite city.” She gushed before turning back to Betty.

“So, would you like for Jughead to get his heart ripped out of his chest and stampeded by a pack of ravenous coyotes as much as I do?”

Betty and I looked at each other. Cheryl certainly had a way with words.

“Umm, well…yeah...but not in so many words.” Betty replied, looking a little unsure of Cheryl’s gleeful tone at the thought of Jughead’s heart being pulverized into the ground by wild animals.

Cheryl smiled, her eyes twinkling at Betty's reply.

“Well, how about I tell you that I can _guarantee_ a spot on the squad for _both_ of you if you two would be willing to help me in a little ruse I was considering ever since new girl over here walked through our campus doors yesterday morning.”

I was confused. What in the world could Cheryl possibly want with me when it came to this apparent plan she had cooked up in regards to Jughead’s romantic happiness?

Needless to say, I was intrigued, and I was also really wanting to be a Rivervixen alongside Betty. So, without doing a whole lot of considering, I shrugged.

“I’m in. What’s your scheme involve?”

\---

“You want me to _what_?”

I knew I had heard Cheryl correctly, but I was having a hard time believing that she was actually serious. But when she rolled her eyes at me and pursed her bright, red lips, I knew she had meant every word of her wicked idea to get revenge on Jughead.

“Just get him to fall in love with you and then dump him. How hard is that to understand?”  Cheryl asked, very annoyed with me, but I didn’t feel it was quite fair of her. What she was asking me to do was insane, and ridiculous.

“You want me to basically John Tucker Must Die him? Do you know how deranged you sound?”

I looked over at Betty, who was biting her nails, contemplating Cheryl’s idea.

Cheryl tossed her silky red hair behind her shoulders as she stuck her chin in the hair defiantly.

“Maybe I sound foolhardy and childish, but…you have no idea what Jughead has put so many girls through in this school. First, what he did to Betty, and then spending all summer long making girl after girl think he was special and different, only to throw them away like some used paper cup. It’s absolutely criminal what he has done. He needs to know what it feels like.”

I could tell Cheryl didn’t want to admit that Jughead had used her too, that he had hurt her. She had a way about her that made it seem as if she rarely allowed herself to be vulnerable to anyone. But she had let herself be vulnerable to Jughead, and he had taken advantage of it. Now she sought revenge. And to be honest, I understood why.

Jughead sounded like he needed a major reality check.

“Even if I help you with this, Cheryl, there’s no guarantee that Jughead will be interested in me. And even if he is, how am I supposed to get him to fall in love with me? Especially when he seems hellbent on hooking up with as many girls as he can get his hands on?”

Cheryl got an eerily evil smile on her lovely face. She was a frightening girl, that was for sure. To the point that I almost felt sorry for Jughead for getting on Cheryl Blossom’s bad side.

“Oh, Betty and I can help you with that. We know his weak spots. As for being interested in you? Veronica, dear, have you seen yourself? He’ll be eating out of the palm of your hand by the time we’re through. And then, BAM! Little Jughead’s heart with be shattered into millions of tiny pieces and every girl he’s screwed over will be thanking us for serving up the huge helping of justice they have all been due.”

I wanted so badly to roll my eyes. Could she be _any_ more dramatic? No wonder Jughead dumped her.

But it wasn’t Cheryl’s revenge I was interested in. It was Betty’s.

“What do you think, B?” I asked as I looked at her closely, wishing I had known her for longer so that I could read her better.

Her eyes met mine as she got a grin on her face that I had never seen before in the short time I’d known her. It was a grin full of joy and relief. I knew right then that I had no choice but to help with this ludicrous plan.

“I think that with just one wink in his direction, he’ll be smitten. And with mine and Cheryl’s help, he’ll be head over heels for you in no time. And when he least expects it, you’ll break his heart. And then, he’ll know what it feels like to be me.”

 

To be continued…

 


	3. Chapter 3

“Don’t look at him too much. Make him _work_ for your attention.”

Those were the last words Cheryl had said to me when she’d called me that morning before school. Today was the day that I needed to find a way to officially meet Jughead Jones and begin to set Cheryl and Betty’s revenge plan into motion.

And I was ready. Well, for the most part.

Even though this whole thing felt like the premise of a bad, teen movie, I justified it by thinking about all the girls that Jughead had used and left behind now that he was considered a hot commodity in regards to the boyfriend offerings at Riverdale High.

Jughead had become a challenge, but no one had managed to lock him down. Now it would be my turn to give it a go, but very reluctantly.

I didn’t want to fail my new friends, but I had little confidence that their plan would actually work. Yet, I decided to humor them and go along with it. And yes, deep down I secretly hoped I would succeed. Being able to get back at this Serpent scoundrel made me feel as though I was, in some small way, contributing to the battle of my feminist allies. I was helping to fight the good fight against our male oppressors.

So I had worn a brand new outfit, switching my short skirts and collared blouses for a pair of dark-washed skinny jeans and a snug fitting corset top. I suggested a leather jacket to complete the ensemble but Cheryl had told me that would be overkill and lent me a red hot, cashmere sweater instead.

Red isn’t my color, but this was for a role I was playing, which I had to keep reminding myself.

Needless to say, I liked my new look. And it worked for knowing that I had to pretend to be this badass, no fucks given, mysterious, new girl in town.

“Hi, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to change my schedule from 6th period ceramics to auto shop class?”

I had gotten to school early to switch one of my classes so that I would be in one with Jughead. Don’t ask me how I let Betty and Cheryl convince me to do it, because I'm not even quite sure. Not that I cared much about being in ceramics, but I certainly didn’t have any desire to work on carburetors and transmissions in shop class.

“You are in all college preparatory classes and Jughead isn’t. How are you going to manage to spend time getting him to fall for you if he never actually _sees_ you?” Betty had asked me, ultimately leading me to realize that what she said actually _did_ made sense.

I decided I could risk my manicure for the greater good.

“Sure, dear. Let me just get the switch approved by Mr. Weatherbee and I’ll be right back.” The lady with the gray bun at the front counter told me as she took my transfer request and headed back to the principal’s office.

“You’re the new girl from New York, right? Veronica?”

I looked over to see Archie Andrews looking at me curiously.

Even though I’d never spoken to him before, I felt like I already knew him.

“I am! Yes! Nice to meet you. Archie, right?”

Archie nodded as he smiled and shook my hand.

“Betty’s told me all about you!” I said excitedly, glad I could make mention of someone we both knew.

Suddenly Archie was blushing.

“Oh? She has?” He asked with a look on his face as if I’d just told him that he’d won the lottery.

“Yep!" I said, nodding.

"I was paired up with Betty for the tour of the school when I moved here. She’s a really great girl and she spoke very highly of you.”

Archie smiled brightly.

“She _is_ really great. Betty…she’s the best.”

The faraway look in Archie’s eyes was one I had seen before. And it was clear to me that Archie Andrews was crazy about the girl next door with the blonde ponytail.

I suddenly got a wonderful idea. One that would help Betty get over Jughead Jones for good.

“So why would a girl like you want to take shop? I thought only motorheads took that class.” Archie asked with a laugh.

I shrugged.

“Um...I like mechanical things…and…uh…I like a new challenge.” I stammered.

I hadn’t expected the question. What if Jughead asked me the same thing? I would have to come up with a better answer next time.

“Well, if you have it 6th period then you’ll have it with my best friend Jughead. If you need any help with anything, tell him I sent you. Just look for his ever present beanie.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Archie had just given me the best ice breaker possible.

“Jughead? What’s he like?” I asked, hoping that Jughead’s own best friend would be able to give me some insight from the point of view of someone who hadn’t had their heart broken by the school’s resident bad boy.

Archie gave me a crooked smile.

“Jug is really smart. He knows a lot. And he has a good heart. Don’t believe anything you might hear about him. Things aren’t always as they seem.”

I nodded thoughtfully. Archie definitely saw his best friend differently than all the girls who he had hurt. And suddenly, seeing Jughead through Archie's eyes made me feel awful about what I had been commissioned to do.

“Anyway, it was great to finally meet you, Veronica. I’ll see you in class.” Archie said as he gave me a wave and headed out into the busy hallway.

I sighed as Gray Bun handed me my newly printed schedule. And I did my best to remember Betty’s story of woe when it came to her ex-boyfriend. Archie might not think I should believe the stories surrounding Jughead Jones, but Archie didn’t know what it felt like to be treated as if you were nothing more than a toy to be discarded.

Jughead needed to learn his lesson, and I would do my best to deliver it.

\---

I hadn’t quite expected all the heads that turned as I walked into Mr. Kenickie’s 6th period auto shop class, but I should have known I would stick out like a sore thumb.

“You can take a seat over there by Mantle.” Mr. Kenickie told me as he motioned towards a rectangular, high top wooden table at the back of the classroom where an empty seat sat next to Reggie Mantle.

I had met Reggie before at Rivervixen tryouts and we had the same lunch period. He was dating Josie McCoy now, and they made a cute couple. I was glad Josie had found someone new after her debacle with Jughead. She was such a sweet, talented girl and it made me happy at the way Reggie held her hand and showered her with attention.

Speaking of Jughead, I quickly scanned the room to find him, and within seconds, my eyes locked on his. Those crystal blue pools were watching me all the while with an amused smirk on his handsome face.

Perfect.

I smiled shyly at him as I made my way to my seat. I figured playing coy might make him think he had the upper hand, therefore causing _him_ to be the one to approach _me_.

I was willing to play the prey in this game.

“What the hell are you doing in shop class?” Reggie whispered with a chuckle as I plopped my purse down in front of me on the table.

“Letting my inner mechanic shine through.” I replied sweetly.

“You’re going to get eaten alive in here.”

I shrugged.

“We’ll see about that.”

I tried not to look over at Jughead as I sat listening to Mr. Kenickie practically boring me to tears as he explained what the hell a cotter key extractor was, but I couldn’t help myself.

It was a shame that a total fuckboy asshole had to be so ridiculously gorgeous. The first time I’d seen Jughead, I had noticed how good looking he was. But this time I was getting a closer look, and it was a whole other story.

He was tall, muscular but lean, not too bulky. He had a tan complexion, with beautifully smooth skin, and I had never wanted to touch a boy’s face so badly in all my life.

He had hair as dark as my own, partly hidden under that knit hat, but a shock of it peeked out from underneath, swept in a perfect wave across his temple. And then there were those piercing eyes. A color of blue that I had never seen before, and I immediately wished to have that blue gaze on me again.

Ugh! I shook my head, trying to get the thought out of my mind. What was I _thinking_? Was I seriously _swooning_ over this jerk? I wanted to kick myself but I didn’t want Reggie to think I had lost my mind.

“You’re staring.” I heard Reggie say quietly, teasing me for being so obvious.

“But don’t even bother with that asshole. Jones is a total _dick_.”

If I didn’t know any better, I would think that Reggie was bit jealous of his romantic rival. Betty and Cheryl had told me how Reggie had been the biggest player at Riverdale High until Jughead had careened past him to become the most sought after boy in school.

The bitterness in Reggie’s voice was obvious.

“Thank you for the advice, but I don’t think you’ll have to worry.” I replied as I looked away from Jughead who was listening intently to Mr. Kenickie and taking notes in a spiral notebook.

Reggie shook his head.

“Famous last words, Lodge.” Was all he said before it was time for us to all go to our workstations in the garage part of the classroom and practice using this alien device known as a leaf offset gauge.

Mr. Kenickie handed me my toolkit and let out a grunt, as if he strongly disapproved of allowing a complete novice to use such important instruments when it came to car engines.

“You _might_ want to consider wearing sneakers to this class. Heels and automobiles don’t really go hand in hand.” He said curtly as he looked down at my feet.

All of a sudden, I wanted nothing more than to prove this old, crabby, gearhead wrong.

“I respectfully beg to differ, Mr. Kenickie. 'Heels and Automobiles' sounds like the perfect name for an auto body shop owned by women only. _For_ women only.” I replied with a fake, syrupy grin.

I heard a chuckle behind me and turned to see who had been listening to the exchange between me and my ridiculously neanderthalic shop teacher.

It was Jughead.

“You just made this class ten times more interesting, Princess.” He said, smirking at me again while his eyes raked over me from head to toe.

He had absolutely no shame in the way he was blatantly checking me out, and I found it irritating as hell. But I was more irritated with myself than with Jughead.  

“Well, I’m not here to entertain you, Beanie Boy.” I replied before I turned and walked away to the car I had been assigned to.

It wasn’t until I had removed the red sweater, revealing my corset, while opening the toolkit and grabbing the offset gauge that I realized that my heart was pounding.

I stared under the hood of the old 1988 Pontiac Firebird, not knowing what in the hell I was supposed to do. I couldn’t get my thoughts straight. All I knew was that I wasn’t sure if I could actually go through with Cheryl and Betty’s scheme. How could I possibly carry out this plan while being on Jughead’s territory with him having the upper hand? I hated doubting myself. I _had_ to get it together.

“Wrong tool, beautiful.”

Out of nowhere, Jughead was next to me, gently taking the offset gauge out of my hand.

His fingers brushed mine, and I understood why he had been able to charm every girl in school. I didn’t know what it was yet, but there was no doubt something about Jughead Jones that wasn’t the least bit typical. And I would have no choice but to find out what that thing was and then figure out how to destroy it.

“You’re supposed to be using the offset gauge. You picked up the spark plug gauge.”

I didn’t look at him, only took the correct tool from him as he handed it to me.

“Archie said you would be helpful.” I replied, making sure my tone sounded a lot cooler than I felt.

“You know Archie?” He asked as he turned and leaned against the bumper of the car.

He was still watching me, but I refused to make eye contact as I began to fiddle with the wiring under the hood.

I nodded.

“We have Biology together. He knew I was going to be taking shop and told me to ask you if I needed any help.”

Jughead chuckled.

“You’re Veronica?”

He knew my name. I didn’t think he’d know who I was, and I suddenly wondered what he might already know about me and how that might affect the job I was supposed to be doing.

“I am. Why? What have you heard?” I asked nonchalantly as I glanced at him.

He was smiling that same, knowing smile. As if he knew all there was to know about everything. It was incredibly annoying.

“Just that there’s this New York sophisticate going to Riverdale now. But no one told me how unbelievably gorgeous you were.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

“You must think you’re pretty charming throwing around lines like that.”

Jughead grinned as he shook his head.

“I’m just telling the truth. But Archie is right, you can ask me for help, Ms. Lodge. I’ll help you with _whatever_ you need _whenever_ you need it.”

I must have had a look of total disgust on my face from the cheesiness of Jughead’s words because he suddenly began to laugh, causing everyone to turn and look at us.

“Okay, so it's obvious that you are not  _at all_ impressed. But don’t think I won’t stop trying, Uptown Girl.”

I shook my head.

“Please don’t bother. You have sufficiently wasted enough of my time as it is.” I replied haughtily.

Jughead shook his head, still amused by me as he began to walk away to the Ford Bronco that he’d been assigned to work on.

“Oh, _damn_! Looks like Jonesy got shut down!” I heard another dark haired boy in leather say as he gave a whistle in Jughead’s direction.

But Jughead only smiled as he looked back over at me. And I knew then that this was just the beginning.

 

To be continued…

 


	4. Chapter 4

“I think it went really well. He _definitely_ seemed interested.”

I was sitting with Betty and Cheryl at the Blossom's immense estate in the upper crust section of Riverdale, debriefing them on my interaction with Jughead that day in shop class. But I wasn’t sure why they looked so skeptical of my report.

“Did he ask you to grab a shake at Pop’s? To give you a ride anywhere?” Cheryl asked as she chewed on the end of the straw in her glass of soda.

I shook my head, and immediately knew that my lack of having any juicier information to share was a disappointment for them, and a failure by me.

“I mean, I _just_ met him. Why would he ask me out that quickly?”

Betty and Cheryl looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

“Because Jughead _moves_ quickly. Always.” Cheryl replied.

I shrugged. I didn’t want to let them down, but I wasn’t going to throw myself at him. Cheryl had told me to make him work for my attention, and that’s what I was doing.

“Well, he told me he wasn’t giving up, so I don’t think you two should worry. He’s into me. I’m sure of it.”

Betty sighed, obviously not satisfied.

“But did he tell you anything personal about himself? Anything about the Serpents or his dad?”

I put down my glass of soda and spread my hands out on the table. I was frustrated enough as it was. I didn’t need the lack of encouragement.

“Look, I have played this game with Jughead exactly like you two have instructed me to do. I told you that there was no guarantee that he would fall in love with me, and he’s certainly not going to do it in one day. That wouldn’t be real love now, would it? I promise I will do my best and I’ll keep trying. If he doesn’t take the bait, then you’ll just have to find someone else to help you with your plan.”

I watched as my two new friends nodded, letting me know they understood what I was telling them. But they still didn't look too happy.

But finally, Cheryl suddenly perked up.

“You know, I didn’t think about this before, but maybe Jughead is a bit intimidated by you and _that’s_ why he’s not coming right out of the gate and asking you out. Also, who did you sit by in class?”

I didn’t know Jughead well enough to know if what Cheryl was saying had any merit, but I was willing to play along if it gave her some sort of renewed faith in her revenge scheme.

“Mr. Kenickie told me to sit at a table with Reggie.”

Betty and Cheryl looked at each other for the second time with matching grins on their faces.

“Yeah, he’s definitely intimidated.”

I didn’t try to get into the nuts and bolts of why they thought this way. I mean, I knew there had been some competition between Reggie and Jughead, but that was about all I knew. If Jughead thought I was interested in Reggie, or friends with him, then maybe he was somewhat turned off by it.

Whatever it was, at least Betty and Cheryl weren’t giving up hope. There was still a chance I could get them the payback they were in dire need of.

\---

“Interesting new look you’re going for, Ronnie.”

I had hoped to get out of the house that morning without my mom seeing what I had picked out for my choice of wardrobe for the day.

“I just thought I’d try a new look. You know, now that we’re in a new place, living a new life.” I replied, trying to not sound as sheepish as I felt.

“Yeah, but..leather leggings?” She asked me as she raised an eyebrow.

Okay, so I knew that what I was attempting to pull off was totally not like me, but I didn’t really have a choice. And I couldn’t tell my mom what I was up to. She would think I’d lost my mind. It was _better_ to make her think I was just being an experimental teenager, one who changes her mind on a dime.

I shrugged.

“What? They’re comfortable. And they make my legs look amazing. All those lunges I’ve been doing in Rivervixen practice are paying off.”

But my mom just gave me an incredulous look before going back to her coffee and morning paper.

I didn’t really have time to worry about if she believed me or not, I needed to get to school early. Betty and I had decided to switch lockers so that mine would now be just down the hall from Jughead’s.

“You’ll be able to have even more interaction that way. He won’t just be thinking of you when he sees you at the end of the day in 6th period.” Betty had told me over the weekend when we’d grabbed a bite to eat at Pop’s.

It made sense, but I also wondered if she was quite possibly craving the need to lessen her interaction with Jughead as much as possible.

“So, B…you and Archie have been friends forever, right?” I asked her as we loaded her books from her locker and into her backpack.

The halls were still quiet since the first bell hadn’t even rung yet, and I decided to use the opportunity to talk to her about the red-headed hunk next door.

“What? Why? Do you want me to set you two up after this whole Jughead annihilate plan? I would, but I have to be honest with you, V, he won’t like that you broke his best friend’s heart, so I wouldn’t put all my eggs in the Archie basket.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle at how Betty had almost sounded more protective of Archie than she probably realized.

“Uh, no, Betty. I’m not interested in Archie like _that_. I just couldn’t help but wonder, you know, if anything ever happened between you two. Something on more of a romantic level perhaps?”

Betty’s cheeks turned a bright shade of pink as she avoided making eye contact with me while she searched her old locker one last time to make sure she’d gotten everything out.

I managed to snag the photo of her and Archie that she’d kept taped to the inside of her locker door, and I couldn't help but smile at the sweetness of it.

It was a photo of Betty and Archie when they looked to be about 7-years-old. They were sitting on the back of a pickup truck, their arms around each other and grinning from ear to ear.

“Archie and I are just friends, and we’ve always been _just_ friends.” She replied as she took the picture from my hand and stuffed it in her bag.

I believed her. But even if nothing had ever happened between them _physically_ , as in no experimental childhood kisses or handholding, that didn’t mean there wasn't something going on behind the guise of friendship. There was definitely _something_ the blonde beauty wasn’t telling me and I was determined to get to the root of it.

After all, Betty deserved to feel content. And there was something about Archie Andrews that gave me the impression that he could be the one to bring her the happiness that would help her get past her cad of an ex-boyfriend.

“Level with me, B. Have you actually never noticed the way Archie lights up whenever you’re around? Have you ever caught him staring at you longingly? Because I have, and I’ve only been here a few weeks.”

Betty shrugged.

“He just…he cares about me. He loves me…as a _friend_.”

I let out a sigh as Betty and I began to load up her old locker with my things.

“You and I both know it’s _more_ than that. Why not just try and see what could happen if you allowed yourself to move past the whole ‘we’re only friends’ thing? Don’t miss out on something that could be amazing just because you are comfortable.”

Betty looked at me then, and I hoped I had said something that had hit home for her. Something that would help her to take a chance.

“I don’t think you know me well enough to know what I should or shouldn’t do when it comes to my love life, Veronica. Just...please stay out of my personal business.”

It was strange to see Betty angry. I’d never seen her be even the slightest bit annoyed before, not with anyone. But I had obviously struck a nerve with her when it came to suggesting she date Archie, and I watched as she walked away from me, hurrying down the hall so that I wouldn’t try to stop her.

I felt bad for upsetting her. It hadn’t been my intention at all, but I realized that I was too new to Riverdale to know the full extent of Betty and Archie’s history with each other. Maybe I had been out of line. Maybe I had overstepped the boundaries of my still very new friendship with the Riverdale darling.

All I knew at that moment was that I hoped Betty wouldn’t stay angry with me. She was one of the few friends I had and I was starting to care about my friendship with her than any of my old friendships in New York.

The friends I'd had back home had never really felt genuine and solid. There had always been an overabundance of shallowness, plastic smiles, and the occasional brutal backstabbing. Friendships with my “friends” back at Spence had always seemed so petty and vapid. And I realized now how sad that was.

I had never really known before that you could be friends with someone just based on a real connection and not on what your parent's yearly net income was.

The first bell rang abruptly as the halls were beginning to fill up with students starting their school day. I sighed as I shut my locker door and began the long trek to my first period.

And as if my day couldn’t get any worse, my eyes suddenly landed on Jughead, at his own locker, where he had Midge Klump pressed up against it. She had a dreamy look on her face as Jughead buried his head into her neck, his hands on her hips.

And then in a split second, he was kissing her.

So much for thinking I’d captured his full attention. There was nothing full about it. Apparently I had just been some random flirtation in between Jughead’s hookups with the brown-haired pixie who had been stolen away from her former beau, Moose Mason.

I knew I was going to have to play this game better than I had before if I was going to have the opportunity to crush the heart of the boy who had crushed Betty’s. And maybe it would help me to get my friend back.

\---

I knew the guys were watching me, and I wasn’t entirely interested in their attention as I tried my best to remove the distributor cap underneath the hood of the Firebird.

“You might want to use a screwdriver for that, Princess. Those clips on the cap can be hard to undo with those pretty, little hands.”

I looked up and scowled at Jughead as he slowed down on his way to his own assigned car. He had been 20 minutes late to shop class and I wondered if it had anything to do with a Miss Klump, or maybe a completely different girl altogether. He was certainly living up to his title of being the high school’s main playboy.

“I hear it enough from Kenickie, I don’t need to hear it from you too.” I spat back, irritated with being the token girl in the classroom.

Maybe it really wasn’t a good idea to wear these tight, leather leggings with a white camisole. I mean, I really liked the look, but it sure wasn’t helping in regards to me being taken seriously in a class full of roughneck boys who were mostly all members of the Serpent gang. Along with a teacher who was stuck in the early 1960's mindset in regards to women. I could tell Kenickie thought I belonged in Home Economics with a measuring cup in my hand instead of a socket wrench.

But I wasn’t just in this class to fuck around. I really wanted to prove something to these guys, and to myself while also getting a good grade in the process. I wanted to go to a good college once I graduated, and I’d be damned if I let the Riverdale High shop class keep me from achieving what I wanted for my life.

With my dad in prison, being successful on my own merit was the only choice I had. 

I stuck my head back under the hood and used the screwdriver like Jughead had suggested, much to my reluctance. But he had been right.

I decided then that if I was going to have to follow through with this stupid scheme, I would at least get _something_ beneficial from it other than being a Rivervixen. 

\---

I guess you could say that I wasn’t surprised when Jughead fell in step beside me after the final bell rang and nudged me with his arm.

“I’m sorry if I offended you earlier. I wasn’t trying to sound like a jerk. I really _do_ think you have pretty hands.” He said with a smile in his voice.

I chuckled sarcastically.

“Now _that’s_ a line I’ve never heard. Nice try, Snake Boy."

Jughead sighed.

“I can’t win with you, can I?” He asked, clearly exasperated and no longer sounding as jovial as he had earlier.

I hadn’t been around Jughead much, but I’d never seen him with a look on his face that didn’t involve some knowing smirk making an appearance.

“Sorry I’m not as easy to please as Midge is.” I snapped back without even thinking about what I was saying.

I sounded jealous and I immediately wished I could find a hole to crawl into.

Jughead chuckled as he suddenly stepped in front of me and turned around to look me in the eyes. I tried to walk around him, but his hand took mine as he led me out of the way of the bustling hallway.

“So is _that_ why you gave me the cold shoulder in class today? You saw me with Midge and didn't like it?”

The look of pure satisfaction on his face was sickening. I hated it. Or did I hate _myself_ for letting him catch me in a feeble moment?

“No…I mean…yeah, I saw you with her this morning sucking face in the hallway…but…I wasn’t giving you the cold shoulder in class…I was just…”

I shrugged instead of being able to come up with some kind of excuse, _any_ kind of excuse for why I’d been snappy with him. What the hell was wrong with me all of a sudden?

“Were you just…wanting to know what it would be like to kiss me, Veronica?” He asked, smirking as he backed me up so slowly against the lockers that I gasped when I felt the cold metal through my satin top.

I was trying to just swallow like a normal person, but instead I gulped hard as I tried to look away from those mesmerizing blue eyes. I thought I was stronger than this. I never thought in a million years that I could be so easily captivated by someone. Much less some gang member from the bad side of town with an enormous ego and reputation for breaking hearts.

I _had_ to get the ball back in my court. I remembered Cheryl’s comment about Jughead being intimidated. Maybe she had been right.

“You know what, Jughead Jones…maybe I was.” I replied softly as I placed my hand on his chest, right over his heart. It was pounding so fast that I smirked right back at him. He was a lot more anxious than he was letting on.

He had expected for me to deny him, but I hadn’t. Two could play this game.

Jughead’s eyes widened, but only briefly. Regardless, he’d given himself away. We were back on a level playing field.

Now it was just a matter of if he would call my bluff or not.

But, he definitely called it as he closed his eyes before allowing his lips to meet mine.

It was utterly sinful how good of a kisser Jughead was. He had the softest, warmest lips I had ever felt, so pliable and eager, as if this was the only time he’d _ever_ get to have his mouth on mine and he’d planned to make the most of it.

I was unable to resist him and I knew I was giving myself away completely as I let my hands clutch his face while pressing my body into his. The urgency and yearning was something I could feel within every fiber in my body. He could be the only boy I’d ever kiss for the rest of my life and I was sure that I would be more than okay with that.

 _That’s_ how good he was. No wonder the girls at school were practically clawing at him. Jughead was a cut above the rest. But from what I’d been told, so was I.

 

To be continued…

 


	5. Chapter 5

I sat on my floor in my bedroom going through all my pairs of heels, trying to figure out which pair would go best with the turquoise dress Cheryl had lent me.

I have never worn turquoise before but Cheryl insisted that my complexion and dark hair could pull it off "better than Pocahontas herself."

God, she could be so damn over-the-top sometimes.

I had told Betty and Cheryl in a victorious excitement that they could breathe easy because I had scored a date with Jughead for that Saturday.

What I hadn't told them was that Jughead had decided we should go out on a proper date now that we had made out in the middle of the school hallway.

"What about Midge?" I'd asked him, my heart pounding as he kept a hand on my cheek while his thumb stroked my bottom lip.

It had been so intimate, but for whatever reason, it felt perfect. Jughead had a touch that was indescribable and I reveled in it.

"Midge who? I do not know for whom you are speaking." He'd teased, grinning at me while his eyes twinkled.

I had to admit, Jughead was _really_ good at this whole Casanova thing, and I had known a lot of guys who had tried hard to be just as smooth and debonair when trying to get a girl to date him. But none of them had quite gotten it down as good as Jughead had.

"All I care about is getting to know the mysterious new girl better."

I wasn’t sure how Betty or Cheryl would feel about me kissing Jughead, especially after I had upset Betty so much about the whole Archie thing. I didn’t want to upset her any further by telling her I’d kissed the hell out of the ex-boyfriend that she still wasn’t quite over.

But I knew the kissing thing would have to come up eventually. I mean, if they wanted me to get Jughead to fall for me, then it would have to involve some lip-lock. Or had the two of them not thought that far ahead?

I decided I wouldn’t bring it up, I’d let them bring it up instead. I was going to be meeting the two of them at Pop’s after school that day for a meeting to discuss the in’s and out’s of my upcoming date. My head was already swimming with thoughts of all the things they would want me to do or not do, to play Jughead in a way that would make his affection for me grow. Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to being their puppet. But I had come too far now to back out.

\---

“You seemed unusually anxious today in class. You dropped your socket wrench _three_ times.” I teased Jughead as we walked out of shop class together and into the hall full of our classmates rushing to leave school and start their weekend plans.

I couldn’t help but be excited about my own plans for that weekend. I hadn’t been taken out on a date in far too long.

“You noticed that, huh?” Jughead asked shyly as he adjusted his beanie.

I nodded. I couldn’t help but find it endearing that every single time Jughead had looked over at me while we were working on our respective car projects, he had gotten a blush in his cheeks. And it didn’t help that his friends were constantly nudging him and teasing him about his date with me.

“Jones actually got himself a classy one _this_ time!” One of his friends known as Sweetpea, had said with a wink.

Apart of me wondered if this was all part of Jughead’s typical dating game, that none of the cute awkwardness was real, but that was something I would have to find out from Cheryl and Betty.

In the meantime, I still had a job to do, and that was to get Jughead to become completely smitten with me and _only_ me. All these other girls that were clamoring for their chance with him would have to wait.

“Yes, I noticed. I notice you _all_ the time.” I replied flirtatiously as I took his hand in mine while we walked out to the parking lot of the school and to his waiting motorcycle.

“Oh you do, huh? What _exactly_ do you notice about me, Princess?” Jughead asked as he put his hand on one of the handlebars of the bike, letting me know that the ride was definitely his and he hoped I was impressed by it.

I gave him my most coquettish of grins as I tugged at the lapel of his worn, leather jacket.

“Just, you know, how handsome you are. How strong and dangerous you seem. I’m curious about you, Jug. _Very_ curious.”

I looked up at him as his eyes searched mine, wondering if I meant what I said. And I, myself, wondered why there would be any doubt in his mind at all when he had carried himself so confidently until recently.

Jughead hadn’t taken a breath, and I hoped like hell that I hadn't come on too strong. What if he knew what I was really trying to do? He was smart, after all. _Very_ smart, and I knew he had to have a keen sense about people to be as good of a journalist as he was for the Blue and Gold.

“I’m…I’m curious about you too, Veronica.” He finally said quietly. And I could tell he was being sincere.

“Are we still on for tomorrow night?”

I almost wanted to laugh at the question. Wasn’t it obvious that we were still on? I was sure I had made it clear that I was interested in him.

This version of Jughead that was so unsure, so apprehensive, was not the picture of the Jughead Jones that had been told to me by Cheryl or Betty.

I began to wonder if my two, new friends had been wrong about him all along.

“Yes, definitely. Pick me up at 7pm at the Pembrooke. I’ll be the one out front, wearing something special...just for you.”

The smile that formed on Jughead’s face was priceless. And I realized that flirting with him wasn’t nearly as hard as it was supposed to be.

\---

“He’s going to want you to ride on his motorcycle. He’ll talk about how free you will feel and that it’s a great way to get _closer_.” Cheryl said as she rolled her eyes.

I listened as she gave me the rundown on what a date with Jughead would consist of. And she certainly remembered things in very clear detail.

“He’ll probably want to take you to this little Italian place called Segarini’s on the Southside of town. It’s charming, sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there were rats hiding in that kitchen. It _is_ the Southside after all.”

She droned on about how mannerly he will be, how he’ll look into my eyes and say the sweetest things, that he’ll suggest we snag a bottle of the cheap Chianti on the table and take it to his favorite spot by Sweetwater River.

“He claims it’s the _only_ place in Riverdale where you can see how bright the stars _really_ are.”

I looked over at Betty, who was nodding along with everything Cheryl was saying, as if she had experienced those very same things with Jughead at one time. Only difference was, she had been the _first_ girl to experience those things with Jughead.

Every time I started to see a different side to Jughead, I was brought right back to the reality of how truly selfish and deceptive he really was.

“And when he kisses you…”

Cheryl paused in mid-sentence, and I could only imagine it was due to her own memory of kissing Jughead under the moon and stars along the banks of a rippling river. I was just relieved she had brought up the subject instead of me having to.

She cleared her throat before continuing, quickly collecting herself from her dreamy thoughts.

“Just go with it, and pretend you’re into it. I know it’s not a pleasant thing to have to do, but it has to be done in order for this whole thing to be believable.”

I nodded, smiling reassuringly so Cheryl would know I was confident, ready, and well prepared.

“I will do my very best to make it all believable. Don’t you worry one bit.” I replied before taking a sip of my double chocolate milkshake.

Suddenly, Cheryl got up from the booth and announced her departure from our meeting.

“Well, good luck, Veronica. Call me if you think of something we haven't covered. Now, I have a homecoming after party to plan. See you two Riverho’s later!”

I was glad to see Cheryl go. As much as I wanted to have friends, I was beginning to realize that Cheryl Blossom was a lot like the old me, and the old me was someone that I was trying desperately to get away from.

I looked over at Betty who was fidgeting nervously with the collar of her sweater now that we sat in the booth alone. I wondered if she wished I would leave too.

“Veronica…” She finally spoke as her eyes met mine.

She took a deep breath.

“I’m so sorry about the other day when I got upset with you about the Archie thing. I shouldn’t have acted that way. I know you only had good intentions.”

I couldn’t help but be glad that she was apologizing. It gave me a sense of peace that I needed before I told her something I knew she might have a hard time hearing me say.

“It’s okay, Betty. I shouldn’t have overstepped by making assumptions. I’m sorry too.”

Betty smiled brightly and I could tell it had been weighing on her that we hadn’t cleared the air until now. But there was one other thing I needed to say in order to clear the air completely.

“And, also…I wanted you to know that…Jughead and I kissed the other day after shop class. I thought he would call my bluff, but he didn’t. The kiss is the reason why he asked me out. I just…thought I should tell you.”

I didn't mean for my confession to come out in such a rush, but I had wanted to get the truth out, and quickly. I braced myself for the fallout. 

But Betty only sighed, and gave me a soft smile.

“It’s okay, V. I’m used to hearing about Jughead’s busy lips. But thank you for telling me. I really do appreciate your honesty. You’re a good friend, and I’m really glad you moved here.”

If I was the crying type, I might have teared up at her words, but instead, I paid for our milkshakes and had my driver drop her off at her house before taking me home.

I had a date to plan for.

\---

Jughead wasn’t a minute late when he picked me up in front of my apartment building the following night, but I immediately noticed an apprehensive look on his face when he saw me walking towards him.

It wasn’t the reaction I had been expecting. Especially when I’d worn my short-sleeved, plunging v-neck dress that barely covered my thighs.

“Is that a shirt or a dress? Regardless, please put on more clothing, Ronnie.” My mom had said before I’d left the apartment.

I’d rolled my eyes at her once again for her reaction to what I had decided to wear. She was sure being annoyingly critical of my outfit choices lately.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, concerned as I got closer to where he stood next to his motorcycle.

Jughead exhaled deeply.

“Veronica, I need to be honest with you...” He began as he ran a hand through his beanie-less hair.

He looked handsome as always, but even more so. I could tell he’d wanted to impress me on our date. He’d even worn a nice button-up shirt instead of one of those t-shirts with the letter S on it that he often wore.

“I have never in my life dated a girl who lives at the Pembrooke. And I’ve never dated a girl as classy and beautiful as you are. I’m so nervous about it that I forgot to wear my beanie.”

I tried to stifle my chuckle, but it was futile. I didn't think I'd ever had a guy tell me that he was so nervous to go out with me that he forgot to wear a specific article of clothing.

“Jughead, please, don’t be nervous. Really. Once you get to know me, you’ll understand why dating me is not worth forgetting your beanie over. If it helps at all, though, you look just as hot without your hat.”

That did it. He finally cracked a smile and I could see a sense of relief fill his features.

“Okay, I’ll try my best to not be as nervous if you promise to not hold it against me that I live in a trailer park and not a luxury apartment complex like the Pembrooke.”

I hadn’t known about Jughead’s living conditions until that moment, and dating someone that lived in a trailer park was completely new territory for me, literally _and_ figuratively, but I embraced it. I would have to, after all, if I was going to be a convincing date.

“As long as you don’t hitch up and move away someday without letting me know, I don’t think you need to worry.”

He laughed at that, and I could feel the tension melting away.

It was really too bad he was such a notorious player. Jughead Jones had a charm about him that I’d never quite seen before. But I reminded myself that it was all just a ploy on his part. He was only in this to try and add another notch to his bedpost.

“So, where are we going?” I asked curiously.

I already had a smile on my face as I waited for him to name the very restaurant that Cheryl had told me he would pick for our date.

“There’s this new French restaurant right down the street from here. I thought we could walk to it together, if that’s okay.”

Oh no, not only were we _not_ going to the Italian restaurant on the Southside but we weren’t going to “feel free” on his motorcycle either.

Jughead had changed up his game, and I didn’t know why. I hadn’t been prepped for this. I didn’t feel prepared. I realized then that I would just have to wing it through dinner and hope that the rest of the date was exactly what Cheryl had explained to me as Betty agreed.

“Sounds wonderful.” I replied with a smile that I hoped seemed sincere as I linked my arm around his.

Jughead smiled at me as we walked in the cool September night air.

“By the way, Veronica...you look _incredible_.”

I felt my heart flutter at the way he spoke. As if he was already falling head first into whatever this thing was between us.

I didn’t know if I should feel happy about it or not, but I knew that pretending to be as into Jughead as he seemed to be with me, would not be that difficult at all, no matter how wrong it might be,

 

To be continued…

 


	6. Chapter 6

“I heard there were these old, hidden rooms that the carpenters would find throughout the building back when they were renovating. But no one could find out what they were used for. All the records were burned in a fire like 60 years ago. But apparently they'd found some human bone fragments in them.”

I was entranced with the tale Jughead relayed to me as we sat at a table for two in a dimly lit corner of the restaurant, munching on tartines and gougeres.

The building that the new French restaurant,  _Le Delicieux Repas,_ was now housed in had a spooky yet romantic vibe in every corner of the interior. The building looked ancient, but there was something about the slight crumble of the old brick that was erstwhile and charming. If I had to be completely honest with myself, Jughead couldn't have picked a better place to take me for a first date.

It was almost as if he'd just instinctually known that this was the kind of place where two people could fall in love. If, of course, that's what was supposed to happen.

“Sounds very H. H. Holmes. I would _love_ to see some of those rooms.” I replied as I took a sip of the sparkling white grape juice Jughead had ordered, after he apologized for not being able to get us a bottle of champagne.

I’m glad he hadn’t tried. Not only were we clearly  underage, but the cheapest bottle was nearly eighty dollars. Even I didn’t have the stomach to spend that kind of money when I would barely be able to drink one glass without Jughead having to resort to carrying me out of the very urbane restaurant while ragdoll drunk.

“Got a bit of a fascination with the macabre, Veronica?” Jughead asked with a sly grin.

I nodded. I had always been a bit of a closet horror fanatic. There was something that seemed so fantastical, and yet,  _possible_ when it came to things that might be hiding in the shadows. Riverdale certainly had that “on the edge of darkness” feel to it.

“Let’s just say, I’ve red _Devil in the White City_ like six times in the past year.”

Jughead raised his eyebrows and smiled as if he was surprised but impressed to learn this about me.

“ _And_ you like to work on cars while wearing high heels. There are definitely many unexpected facets to you, Princess.”

I hoped he meant that in a good way. The last thing I wanted to be seen as was a girl who was trying too hard to be the “cool” girl.

“Do you think I’m pretentious? Please don’t think I’m pretentious.” I said, feeling the warmth in my cheeks.

Why did I suddenly care what Jughead Jones thought about me?

But he chuckled.

“If one of us is the pretentious one, it would be me. I’m the guy that reads Amor Towles during lunchtime.”

Well that certainly came out of nowhere. As surprised as Jughead seemed to be by me, I was equally just as surprised by him. And, deep down, I hoped against hope that everything I was learning wasn’t a part of some game of cat and mouse.

“Who could blame you? _A Gentleman in Moscow_ is a new classic.”

Silence fell between the two of us, not an uncomfortable one, but one where we were both silently regarding each other, curious as to what we might have just stumbled upon.

I knew he had to be thinking exactly what I was thinking...have I just met my match?

\---

“I swear you can see every house in Riverdale from up here.”

Jughead hadn’t taken me to his special spot along Sweetwater River. Instead, he had brought me to a clearing in Evergreen Forest, all the up to the highest point in Riverdale. It was the closest we could get to being at the top of a mountain and the view was breathtaking.

“Please don’t tell me that this is where you come ‘to think.’” I said with teasing annoyance.

Jughead laughed.

“Do you really think I’m _that_ cliché?”

I couldn’t help but gaze at him. The only light around was the moon shining brightly above us, and he looked almost ethereal in the glow of it. I’ve never seen a boy look so handsome to the point that he was beautiful. And I had never in my life wanted to kiss someone as badly as I wanted to kiss Jughead right at that moment.

But as soon as I had allowed that thought, I admonished myself internally for it. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way. And that was why Jughead had gotten so good at his player game. He knew just how to make a girl feel the way I felt at that very minute.  He was good. But I had to be better.

“Actually, I think you’re kind of amazing.” I replied as I moved closer to him as we sat on his spread-out leather jacket on the ground.

I could hear Jughead suck in a breath, and it made my heart thump hard in my chest. He was nervous, and I didn’t know how it could be possible to fake something like that.

“I…I think you might be the most incredible girl I’ve ever met…” He said quietly, not looking at me.

It was almost as if he was also conflicted about how he felt. But why he might feel that way, I wasn’t sure.

“But I should tell you something about me, Veronica…you know…before we take this thing between us any further.”

I sat back a little, wondering what kind of bomb he was about to drop. Was saying something off-putting supposed to be a part of his game too?

“I’m listening.” I said softly as I took his hand in mind, trying to help ease whatever fear he was having. Even if I didn’t like what he was about to tell me, I had to pretend to not be bothered by it.

“My dad…um…he’s…currently doing time...in...uh...in prison. He got into some shady business dealings…and…needless to say…things didn’t work out in his favor.”

I heard myself gasp, completely taken back by his confession. I knew he came from some rough stuff, but no one had told me this information about Jughead’s family. I’m not sure if having known about it sooner would have changed anything, but I suddenly felt a comradery with Jughead that I hadn’t at all expected. And it made me feel so much less alone.

Before I could even think about being strategic in my reply, I suddenly blurted out my own secret.

“Jughead...my dad is in prison too.”

\---

“I should go in…” I sighed breathlessly as Jughead’s mouth was clamped to my neck, his tongue swirling against the ticking vein just under my skin.

“Not yet…” He hummed softly, giving me goosebumps from head to toe.

We’d been like this for at least an hour now, in the shadow of the Pembrook that loomed above us, unable to end the date that I hadn’t expected would have gone so well to the point that I had nearly forgotten why I was out on a date with Jughead in the first place.

I threaded my hands through his dark hair as he kept his arms snugly around my waist, my back against the coarseness of the polymer concrete building.

Kissing him _this_ time seemed to have gotten even better than the first time. And the only reason that I could find as to why that was had to do with the fact that I felt as though I knew Jughead better now. I understood him more. I saw a side of him that I wasn’t sure any other girl had seen other than possibly Betty Cooper.

And it didn’t hurt that we were completely alone, no one watching, no one knowing about our dark deeds in the late night hours as Jughead’s hand slipped underneath my dress.

The whimper that escaped my lips wasn’t intentional, but hell, what else was I supposed to do when he was touching me so good that I could feel my knees weakening to the point that my hands went from his hair and immediately to the wall in an effort to brace myself.

It wasn’t fair that he was this good.

“Jug…I have to go-oh…” I replied with a quiet moan.

But God, I didn’t want to go. Not one tiny, little bit. But I would never get a chance to go out with Jughead again if I got myself grounded.

“To be continued.” He said with a cocky grin as he released me from his grasp.

He kissed me one last time, his tongue licking my lips as if sealing them for the next time he would have them against his own. He walked backwards towards his bike, watching me with that sexy, knowing smirk he got every now and then.

He didn't seem the least bit nervous anymore and something about that frightened me. Was it because I was now the one nervously fidgeting with my hair, my purse, and the hem of my dress while he gazed at me as if he had conquered the world in just one evening?

"Good night." He said as he climbed onto his motorcycle and grabbed his helmet.

I nodded, smiling a smile that I couldn't seem to get rid of. Was I under his spell? I wasn't sure. But I knew one thing, the plan was working just how Cheryl and Betty had wanted.

The only thing we hadn't planned on was me falling too.

\---

I was avoiding Cheryl's phone calls and texts, wanting to just hang on to my incredible evening with Jughead for just a little while longer before she ruined it with her analysis and next phase plans.

It wasn't just finding myself hardly able to breathe whenever he touched me, it was the depth of our conversations that had seeped through the cracks of the facade that I was supposed to be displaying for Cheryl and Betty's scheme against him.

He and I talked about real things. Things that mattered. We talked about our father's and how we were trying to function without them while keeping the secret of their arrests and imprisonment from becoming a whisper amongst our peers as we walked through the hallways at school.

I even found myself tearing up in front of Jughead as I finally let myself feel the loss of no longer having my father's strength and comfort around me. No matter how bad of a criminal he was, he was still my father, and I missed him. Being around Jughead had a way of making me admit that to myself, to admit that it was okay to wish he was still with me and my mom.

Jughead had put his arm around me, offering me nothing but his support and comfort, and it felt genuine. If he was faking any of it, then he really was the devil himself. But my deepest instincts told me that wasn't the case. I had always thought I was a good judge of character, another quality I feel as though I inherited from my dad, and I could see it in Jughead's eyes that he was compassionate and kind and whatever he had done before I'd arrived wasn't as significant to me as it was to everyone else. Even Betty.

And if the whole "dad's in jail" thing wasn't enough to connect the two of us, there was the fact that Jughead and I enjoyed the very same books, and gave each other fantastic movie recommendations. He was a lot more film noir while I was more historical fiction, but we still decided that our second date would involve a trip to the Twilight Drive-In, where Jughead worked running the projector, and then afterwards we would hit up a little coffee shop/book store in Centerville.

"They have the best selection of used paperbacks that I've ever come across. And expresso that would probably rival any you have had in New York." Jughead had told me with a smile while we'd sat up on that hilltop looking down at this new, little town that I was suddenly glad my mom had uprooted me to.

I felt my phone buzz again as I lay in my bed, feeling still too on edge to fall asleep. But I guessed I needed to finally reply to Cheryl and tell her that I was too tired to give her the full report of my date, and that I would talk to her tomorrow.

But the text wasn't from Cheryl. It was from Jughead.

_You and I, it’s as though we have been taught to kiss in heaven and sent down to earth together, to see if we know what we were taught._

I could feel the huge grin forming on my face at his words that weren't really his. He was quoting one of my favorite books, _Doctor Zhivago_ , which was something no boy I'd ever dated before had ever done.

And now my heart was fully in danger of being broken, just like every girl before me.

 

To be continued...

 


	7. Chapter 7

“Strange that he took you to different places then all the other girls. Maybe he’s _really_ falling for you…I suppose that means the plan is going well. Good job, V.”

Cheryl, Betty, and I were sitting at Rivervixen practice before school the following Monday, and I was relieved that Cheryl seemed pleased that I had given her a good report on my first date with Jughead, though there was an obvious edge to her tone. I wasn’t sure if it was jealousy or just pure contempt. Whatever it was, she kept up her usual stoic demeanor when it came to talk of Jughead Jones.

But while Cheryl seemed relatively okay with what I had relayed, I found myself avoiding looking Betty in the eye. It was Betty who I was worried about most.

“Well, it’s time for me to put you Riverbitches through the ringer. Warm up and get ready for hell!” Cheryl chirped at she jumped up and headed over to her Bluetooth speakers and began to scroll through her phone for our routine song.

Finally, Betty broke the silence between us.

“You like him…don’t you.”

There was no question in the statement. Somehow Betty just knew.

I ran my hand through my hair in frustration at how torn I felt, but I didn’t want to lie to Betty.

“I didn’t _want_ to like him, B. I really didn’t. But…you were right when you said that he was different. I know he’s hurt a lot of girls in his newfound popularity, but…”

Betty smiled sweetly.

“You’ve seen the real Jughead underneath.” She finished for me.

I sighed. She didn’t seem upset. It was almost like she just completely understood.

“I just…I keep wondering if it’s all an act. I don’t know what’s real or what’s a part of his game.”

Betty nodded thoughtfully.

“Okay then, so how about you tell me what you two talked about and I’ll tell you if it was real or fake.”

I hope she meant it and wasn’t just trying to set me up or be nosy. But neither of those things would be like the Betty Cooper that I had come to know.

I took a deep breath before telling Betty about the whole date in detail, though leaving out the kissing part at the end. I hadn’t told Cheryl all of this, knowing she wouldn’t care. Cheryl only wanted to know if Jughead seemed smitten or not. And he did. At least, I found myself hoping so.

I exhaled slowly after I finished telling Betty about the incredible conversations between Jughead and I, the things we had in common, the way he smiled when he spoke about his little sister, Jellybean. I was dying to know what the consensus was according to the only girl who had known every part of who Jughead was. Betty had been his first and only love, after all.

“Veronica…I have to be honest with you…it was _real_. Jughead _actually_ talked about his dad and his sister with you. _And_ his love for books and writing? It was definitely real. And so Cheryl’s plan is absolutely working without a hitch.”

I looked into Betty’s kind eyes, afraid of seeing pain. But instead, she seemed almost relieved.

“So…are you okay with…with me and Jughead?” I asked timidly.

Betty nodded.

“I’m just so thankful to know that the Jughead I knew is still in there, and that he has let you see that side of him. It lets me know that this player version of him isn’t who he is. And honestly, Veronica…if there is _any_ girl that could bring him back to being the old Jughead, then I’m glad it’s you.”

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Betty had confirmed that everything about my date with Jughead had been legit. And on top of that, she was okay with all of it. Everything seemed to be falling into place.

But now, the nagging guilt I’d been feeling deep down was beginning to get stronger.

Jughead had no idea that everything between us had begun as a scheme to hurt him, to get back at him for what he had done to all the girls who had fallen for him, whose hearts he had broken. I had tried to keep how I had been feeling for him in check, but Jughead had conquered me just like every other girl. Trying to deny how I was feeling for him was impossible. I was falling headfirst for Jughead Jones, and I knew I would have to tell him the truth. If I lost Cheryl’s friendship in the fallout, so be it.

\---

“Hey, gorgeous.”

I felt two arms coil around my waist as I leaned over the engine of the Firebird. Jughead’s chin rested on my shoulder.

“Hey, handsome.” I replied, my heart fluttering wildly as I put a hand to his cheek.

I hadn’t spoken to him since our date, other than a hello in the hallway earlier that morning when I’d been walking with Ethel Muggs and Kevin Keller on our way to our history class. But we had been texting, and the texts had been just enough to hold me over through the rest of my weekend.

Because seeing him, touching him, made me feel things that I had been waiting to feel my whole entire life. I tried to liken it to other boys I had dated, or had crushes on, but none of them came close to what I was feeling for this particular boy.

It made me feel like a different person, like the person I had always wanted to be. My heart, that I had once guarded so adamantly, that had been so icy, was now the heart of a girl who could see the good in the world, when she had once seen it through cynical eyes at too young of an age.

I knew I had Jughead and Betty thank for that. They had both shown me what love and friendship should really be like.

“Is it weird that I’m not sure I can wait until Saturday to go out with you again?” Jughead asked softly as he nuzzled my neck.

“It’s not weird at all, weirdo. Got any ideas?” I teased.

“I have to work tonight but what about Pop’s after school tomorrow?”

Of course, I couldn’t say no.

\---

That one after school Pop’s date turned into two more as the week went on.

And I was falling even deeper.

“Ronnie…I’ve never seen you like this before. You seem… _happy_.”

My mom sat on my bed as I got ready for my date with Jughead. I wasn’t much of a jean girl but I picked out a pair, figuring denim was in order for a night at the Twilight Drive-In.

“I am.” I replied with a nervous smile.

I had been playing around with the idea of telling Jughead the truth about the plan Cheryl had concocted, and my part in it. I wanted to spare telling him about Betty’s involvement, but I wanted to be honest with him. I wanted him to know that what had started out as a game had become something else.

“And it’s because of the Jones boy that you have been dressing like a rock band groupie and going to places like that old rundown drive-in?”

I nodded cautiously, not quite sure what she might be getting at.

“Do you not approve, mother?” I asked as I raised an eyebrow at her.

She sighed.

“I am aware that his father, FP, is in jail.”

I chuckled.

“Um, yeah, and so is dad. What? You’re only okay with me dating guys with fathers in the slammer for _white_ _collar_ crime?”

My mom rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t stifle her laugh at the absurdity.

“Okay, okay. Fair enough, mija. But I _would_ at least like to meet this boy that has caused more smiles from you in just a few weeks than I’ve seen in the past year. Bring him by for dinner soon.”

I felt an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach at the thought of Jughead eating dinner at the Pembrooke with me and mom. Would he think we were a couple of stuffy, bourgeois New Yorkers trying to play it quaint and simple? Would he decide I wasn’t the kind of girl he wanted to date when he saw how many pairs of shoes I owned?

But, as if my mother could sense how I was feeling, she got up and placed her hands on my shoulders.

“Don’t worry about it, Ronnie. If you like him for him, then that’s all that matters. And as long as you are honest with him about who _you_ are, then there’s nothing to worry about.”

If I didn’t know before that I needed to definitely come clean with Jughead about everything, I knew it now.

\---

“So you just take the reel out of the canister, click it into place, and run it through this part right here.”

I watched as Jughead showed me how he loaded up that night’s drive-in movie into the projector, but he wouldn’t tell me what the movie was.

“It’s a surprise.” He said mischievously as he took my hand in his.

We walked outside to where a truck sat with a perfect view of the screen. The bed of the truck had a blanket in the back with a tub of popcorn waiting.

“I drove my dad’s truck over here earlier…I thought this might be better than trying to sit on my bike to watch the movie.” He said with a chuckle.

“Very romantic.” I replied with a smile as I put a hand to his cheek and kissed him softly.

He placed his hand over mine before linking our fingers.

“I want every minute I spend with you to be special, Veronica.” He said as he led me over to the truck.

It didn’t matter how many times in my life that people had called me a princess due to my socialite status, my parent’s bank account, or my high-rise living. I had never felt like one until that very moment. And Jughead Jones was my dashing prince.

The movie was just starting as he helped me up into the truck and we settled against the back of the cab underneath the blanket with the popcorn and two cans of soda between us. I had never been on a date like this before. All the filet mignon’s at fancy, five star restaurants were nothing compared to this.

Suddenly, I heard the familiar music of one of my all-time favorite period pieces. The historical fiction that I loved so much.

“ _Gone With the Wind_! How did you know I loved this movie?” I asked as I looked at him in complete amazement.

Jughead shrugged, a clever grin on his face.

“I took a guess. And then prayed really hard that I was right.” He replied with a chuckle.

The movie played on, but we were barely paying attention as we talked. I wanted to know everything about him. But I was also trying like crazy to build up the nerve to tell him the whole truth about _me_. Nothing would feel completely right until I told him everything.

“So…have you had a lot of girlfriends?” I asked him with a sly grin.

Although I already knew the answer, I still had to find the right way to bring up the one thing I regretted having to talk about.

Jughead cocked his head.

“Well…I’ve only had one _serious_ girlfriend. Betty Cooper? You’re kind of friends with her right?”

I nodded.

“Yeah, she’s really sweet. Do…do you mind if I ask what happened between you two?” I asked hesitantly, not wanting to bring up the sore subject but having no choice.

I knew Betty’s side of the story of their relationship, but I had been beyond curious to know Jughead’s side.

Jughead shook his head as he got a regretful look on his face.

“I hurt her really bad when we broke up.” He said with a sigh before continuing.

“I had never broken up with a girl before. I admit that I wasn’t as sensitive as I should have been. Our relationship had been really great, to be honest. We had been friends since we were little and it just grew into more. I really loved Betty. But…when I joined the Serpents…things changed. I could tell she didn’t really like my involvement with the gang. I didn’t feel as though she supported my decision to join. Needless to say, it caused a huge strain on us.”

He sighed again as he ran his hand through his hair. He hadn’t worn his beanie again, and I wondered if he had forgotten it due to nervousness like the first time.

“I’ll always care about her. She’s a _great_ girl, and she deserves nothing but the best.”

I could see the sincerity on Jughead’s face and I took his hand in mine. He obviously still felt so much regret over how he had treated Betty. I hoped that someday soon he could apologize to her and that she would accept it.

He smiled at me shyly.

“I’m not sure if you’ve heard or not, but I kind of went off the deep end after that. For some reason, my Serpent jacket…well…it made girls look at me differently.”

Jughead explained to me how he had all of a sudden discovered a new popularity with the girls of Riverdale. It had been so unexpected to finally have the unshakable interest of girls that had always ignored him in the past. It had overwhelmed him, but he thought that the newfound attention might help him move on from Betty.

“I got carried away. But I really just wanted to find someone to connect with. I would think things were going well with someone, but then…it just wouldn’t work out. The connection wasn’t there. I know it made me look like I was just trying to get with as many girls as I could, but it was weird…it was as if I didn’t even have to try. They all came after _me_. Me, the weird, trailer park loser. It was bizarre. But…that was until this gorgeous girl from New York suddenly appeared in my 6 th period shop class.”

He smiled amorously as he stroked my cheek.

“You’ve been unlike any other girl I’ve ever known, Veronica Lodge.”

My heart was pounding in my chest as he leaned in to kiss me. His lips on mine felt like something otherworldly. How was it possible for a kiss to feel this extraordinary? And why did it have to make me wonder what being with him in other ways would be like? Ways that I yearned for more than anything, but couldn’t have until I finally made my confession.

“Jughead, I have to tell you something.” I said quietly once we’d pulled away.

But suddenly, we heard a voice over to the side of us.

“Jones! Sorry to interrupt but we need to talk to you. Serpent business.”

I turned to see Sweetpea and a few other of Jughead’s fellow gang members standing by a bank of motorcycles. Jughead and I had been so deep in our makeout session that we hadn’t even heard the bikes pull up.

Jughead glanced at me regretfully.

“I’m sorry. This will only take a minute.” He said before jumping out of the truck bed and sauntering over to where his friends were waiting for him.

I watched him as he spoke with clear authority to the other members and my heart pounded with attraction and pride. He was a natural leader, and even though I knew that being in a gang had to have its dangerous aspects, there was no way on earth I could ever allow Jughead to feel apologetic about being one of them.

I could see why Betty had a hard time accepting Jughead’s life with the Serpents, but for some reason, I understood it in a different way. Maybe it had been my dad’s involvement with the mob, which I had always thought were just his close group of friends until I had become aware enough to understand better. But whatever it was, Jughead being a gang member would never be something that would come between us. The only thing that could make that happen, was me not telling him about the scheme.

It wasn’t long before Jughead returned, as promised, and I did my best to gather up the courage for the second time to tell him the truth.

“I hope you have a great evening with that bum, Miss Lodge!” I heard Sweetpea call out mockingly as he and the other Serpents chuckled.

Jughead stood on the bed of the truck and motioned for my hand before taking it and pulling me up so that I was now standing next to him.

“Yes, hopefully she will, Pea. Especially after I ask her to be my date for homecoming.” Jughead called out to his friends, quieting their laughter.

Jughead turned to me then, grinning nervously.

“Veronica, will you go to the homecoming dance with me?” He asked, a hopeful look on his face that made me weak all over.

How could I possibly say no when I wanted nothing more than to go with him as his date? And how could I tell him about the scheme I’d been playing when he was looking at me that way?

I nodded, smiling so much my cheeks were getting sore.

“I’d love to, Jughead.” I replied, unable to hide my excitement at going to my first school dance.

He kissed me then as Sweetpea and the others hooted and hollered, eliciting shouts from several of the movie goers who were none too happy to have their movie interrupted by the noisy teens.

“Now get out of here!” Jughead shouted with a chuckle as his fellow Serpents got on their bikes.

Jughead had seemed to forget that I had wanted to tell him something once we were sitting back down in the truck. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me and pressed his lips to mine. And that was how we spent the rest of the movie. Completely unaware of anything else but each other.

 

To be continued…

 


	8. Chapter 8

“Jug…baby…I need to go…”

To say I was in breathless bliss at the way Jughead was touching me and kissing me would be an understatement. I couldn’t get enough of him, and he clearly couldn’t get enough of me as his hand grasped my breast underneath my shirt where my bra had somehow become unclasped during our steamy tumble on his trailer couch.

We were supposed to be working on the latest edition of the Blue and Gold, for which I now wrote the fashion column for. But we had abandoned our work after I had been unable to concentrate on anything other than the fact that we were alone, away from any distractions that could potentially interrupt us.

But it was getting late, and I knew my mom would be waiting for me to get home before she went to sleep.

At least she _somewhat_ trusted me with Jughead, especially after she had finally gotten a chance to meet him when he had unexpectedly stopped by the Pembrooke a few days earlier with a pizza in hand.

“How sweet of you, Jughead. Thank you!” My mother had said to him before going to grab some plates, napkins, and cold sodas for the three of us.

She had given me an approving grin before disappearing into the kitchen, and I felt relieved.

“Nice way to score some points, you big suck up.” I had teased once we were alone in my dining room.

Jughead smiled roguishly as he pulled me to him, his fingers dancing across my collarbone before he swept my hair back, causing a hitch in my breath at the way his touch beguiled me completely. No one had ever been able to affect me so entirely, so intensely, before. And I just couldn’t wrap my mind around how he was able to do it so effortlessly.

“Well, after all, it’s important to get in good with the mom of my new girlfriend."

 _Girlfriend_.

He had been the one to say it first. To label us. He had claimed me as his. And so, I claimed him right back.

“What a very clever boyfriend I have.” I’d replied.

The smile on his face matched my own. We were official.

“What is it that you aren’t telling him, mija? Is it about your father?”

But no matter what, my mother had still managed to know that something was up. I’m not sure how, but she did, and the last thing I wanted to be forced to do was tell her what I had gotten myself caught up in.

“No. Jughead knows about dad.” I had told her with a sigh.

She pressed on.

“Ronnie, don’t think I haven’t noticed the guilt in your eyes whenever I mention Jughead. If you want to talk about it, I’m here to listen. I won’t judge you. It’s just, you seem so happy and I want you to keep being happy but I can tell there’s _something_ troubling you.”

It felt as though it had been forever since my mother and I had experienced a real heart-to-heart with each other. Maybe it was time I finally came clean to someone objective who could give me clarity. Maybe it was time I finally hear it from someone else that being honest with Jughead was necessary.

I took a deep breath before going into the whole sordid story about wanting to be a Rivervixen, to have friends, to be included. How I had agreed to help out Cheryl and Betty. That I hadn’t been the least bit interested in Jughead at first, but then I had fallen for his charms just like so many before me.

“I thought that maybe…maybe we could just be together now, since everything we feel is real between us. Why bring up something that will only upset him, and all for no reason?”

I collapsed onto my bed in exasperation at the rock and hard place I was between.

I heard my mom let out a sigh.

“Oh Ronnie…I’m really sorry you got yourself caught up with a Blossom. Cheryl’s mother was just as bad when we were in high school together. And I wish you had felt as though you could have told me all of this sooner. But, you can’t go on with Jughead without telling him the truth. Your relationship with him started out on a lie, and it’s not fair for him to not know that. It’s not fair for _you_ to be holding back all of who you are because you weren’t honest about yourself from the beginning. I know you don’t _really_ like wearing leather pants. I don’t care what you say.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at how right my mother was. No matter how wise I tried to think I was, I knew my mother was so much wiser than I could ever be.

I would _have_ to tell him soon, but no time ever seemed to feel like the _right_ time. Especially not right now, when my clothes were disheveled, his hands were in my hair, and our bodies were intertwined.

“Just call her and say you’re crashing at Betty’s. Stay the night…with me…” He murmured against my ear between kisses as his hand dipped below the waistline of my panties for the countless time that night.

Lord, if only he knew how badly I wanted to do that very thing.

I had been touching him all night long, I knew what he had going on underneath his clothes, and I wanted it. I wanted it so bad I felt an erotic rush to my core at the mere thought.

But there was no way I could sleep with Jughead when I hadn’t told him the whole truth. No matter how much of a chicken I was being, I wasn’t going to be on that level of selfish.

“Homecoming is just a few days away. We can make the night _extra_ special.” I purred as I pushed my body into his, eliciting a carnal growl from my _very_ excited boyfriend.

“I don’t mind waiting, Veronica…I’d wait forever for you if I had to.”

It was when he said such wonderfully romantic things like that which made me feel like the worst person on the planet. I had to tell him the truth, once and for all, and before Homecoming night was over. 

\---

“You’ve been incredibly quiet lately, Lodge. Care to share the status of your _vie romantique_ with Jughead Jones? The word is you two are exclusive _and_ going to Homecoming together.”

I shrugged, trying to seem casual about it, but hating that word of me and Jughead had already gotten to Cheryl. I should have known.

"Guess I'm good at this whole deception thing." I replied, not looking at her as I nonchalantly did my warm-up stretches for cheerleading practice.

But I could feel Cheryl's eyes burning a hole through me.

"That or you are actually serious with that Serpent scumbag and you have failed to report to me just how much time you've been spending with him."

It was all I could do to keep myself in check and not go off on the volatile redhead right in the middle of the gymnasium. But causing scenes were not my thing.

I wanted to tell her to mind her own damn business. To just let her vendetta against Jughead go already. That sometimes just moving on instead of seeking revenge is better for your own mental and emotional stability. To just understand that people aren't always what they seem deep down.

But I knew that I would only be met with her acerbic comebacks and complete disgust. Cheryl didn't have the heart to deal with the realness that I wanted to give her. So I would have to say as little as possible, grin and bear it, and once I told Jughead the truth, I could be done with being under Cheryl's rule. Even if it meant getting kicked off of the Rivervixens.

"But it's okay." Cheryl continued.

"Homecoming would actually be the perfect time and place to dump him." She said with the most evil of grins on her face.

Dumping Jughead. Just the thought alone made my stomach churn and my chest feel tight. Dumping him was the very last thing I would ever want to do.

Cheryl flounced off, leaving me to face the look of discernment Betty wore as she watched my reaction.

"Tell him, V. Then you won't have to break up with him. He needs to know the truth. You _should_ have told him weeks ago."

I nodded. There was no arguing with her. She was right.

"But...Betty...what if I lose him?"

When it came down to it, that's what I worried about more than anything. That Jughead would be so disgusted with me, so betrayed, that he wouldn't have it in his heart to give me a second chance. I had fallen so hard for him, there was no way I'd ever be the same. Jughead Jones hadn't just become my boyfriend, he'd become my best friend.

"If you two are truly meant to be, then you won't lose him. At least, not for long. I see how you two are with each other. I have no doubt he would forgive you."

But Betty's confidence wasn't enough to make me feel any better, or any braver, about telling Jughead everything and no longer putting it off anymore. I was coming down to the final hour. I needed to push myself past the fear. Jughead deserved it.

"Thanks, Betty. I'm going to tell him. I'm going to do it after the dance. Call me selfish, but I just want one, last perfect night with him before he potentially dumps me."

Betty shook her head, disapproving of my negativity.

"Well, maybe _my_ news will cheer you up." She began as a flush of pink crept up in her cheeks.

I couldn't control the grin on my face. I hoped she was about to tell me what I _thought_ she was about to tell me.

"Yes, please. Spill it!" I replied excitedly.

Betty took a deep breath, as if she was about to dive head first into the deepest pool of water.

"I asked Archie to be my date for the dance. And...he said yes."

I did't even care about the looks I got as I cheered excitedly for my friend. Finally, she was giving Archie Andrews the chance he deserved. Even in my stress concerning my own love life, I was beyond happy for my two, sweet friends. Betty's news had definitely cheered me up.

"That is...that's just fabulous, B. I am absolutely thrilled!"

Betty smiled bashfully.

"Me too, actually. Thank you for being encouraging about it, even though I was such a bitch at first." She said with an embarrassed chuckle.

I gave her a hug.

"You deserve good things, Betty." I told her, sincerely. 

After the hurt she had gone through, I was grateful beyond words that she was starting to allow something wonderful in her life.

She hugged me back, and said softly into my hair.

"You do too, Veronica. You do too."

\--- 

"Wow...Veronica...I...just... _wow_..."

Jughead's reaction when he picked me up at the Pembrooke the following Saturday night was perfect. I had spent all day wanting to look my best for him, even wearing an emerald green dress, his favorite color, with my hair curled and tumbling down my back and shoulders. I had been barely able to eat with how nervous I felt, and my nerves had nothing to do with the fact that I would finally be coming clean to him later that night.

Because what was making my heart slam inside my chest and my knees turn to butter was how incredibly gorgeous he looked in his suit and matching emerald tie. And the thought of losing him, once again, sent me reeling with despair.

"What's wrong? Did I get the wrong corsage?" He asked as he looked at me with concern in his eyes.

I managed a weak smile.

"No, no...I'm...I'm just nervous."

Jughead's face relaxed into his usual sexy smirk.

"Veronica Lodge is _nervous_? I think I know what next month's Blue and Gold headline will be."

I smacked him on the arm teasingly.

"Do it and I'll never forgive you." I said scornfully as I crossed my arms.

But then I was suddenly enveloped in his strong, secure embrace.

"Yes you will."

My scowl turned into a sly half smile.

“I guess you know me better than I thought.”

Jughead bent down so his mouth was against my ear, his warm breath causing an eager tremble throughout my entire body as he spoke.

“And I hope to get to know you even _better_ later tonight.”

I felt that flutter in my chest that only Jughead had managed to ever make me feel, and I couldn’t stop my hand from grazing over the front of his dress pants, yearning to touch him so badly that I was willing to forget this whole Homecoming dance nonsense.

“Well don’t you two just look _wonderful_?!”

Jughead and I both jumped back from each other when my mother suddenly appreared in the foyer of the apartment with her camera in tow.

“Let me get a few pictures and then I’ll let you darlings get on with your evening.”

Jughead obliged her graciously as I rolled my eyes.

“Oh come _on_ , Ronnie! It’s not every day you get to go to a high school dance! Let me live vicariously through you.”

As soon as I smiled, the flash went off.

“Ugh! If I can even dance now that I’ve been blinded!”

Jughead snickered and I nudged him playfully in his side.

“Oh! Veronica, don’t forget your overnight bag for Betty’s house. Here, I’ll help you go get it.”

There was nothing the least bit subtle about my mother’s obvious need to speak to me alone, but Jughead and I pretended to go along with it.

“I’ll be right back.” I mouthed to him as I let my mother lead me down the hallway to my bedroom.

Once she had shut the door behind us, she gave me a stern look.

“Now, mija, I know you aren’t _actually_ staying at Betty’s tonight after the dance. I was in high school once _too_ , you know.”

I opened my mouth to object, but before I could say a word, a look that told me she wasn’t taking any of my bullshit crossed her face.

I closed my mouth immediately.

“I don’t _love_ knowing about what I am pretty sure you will end up doing tonight, but…I just want you to be safe. And to make sure you have told Jughead _everything_ he should know before you take your relationship with him to the next level. Can you promise me that?”

I sighed, but I nodded.

“I’m going to tell him everything _tonight_ , without fail, mom. So don't be surprised if you hear me coming home a lot earlier than expected.”

She gave me an approving, but weak, smile before handing me my overnight bag.

“Don't worry, baby girl. Now, go have fun.” She said as she gazed at me with pride in her dark, brown eyes.

“And Ronnie...you look breathtaking.”

I thanked her before rushing out of my room so that I wouldn't begin to cry. After everything my mother and I had been through, we had always remained a team. I knew that no matter what happened between me and Jughead after tonight, she would have my back. The comfort of that would help me get through what I had to do.

\---

 

“How long do we have to stay at this thing before we can go back to my place?” Jughead asked once he’d brought me my third cup of punch.

I knew he was just as anxious as I was, but my anxiety was tenfold.

Tonight was either going to end in total ecstasy or in complete heartbreak. Either way, my apprehension was off the charts.

We had been at the dance for over an hour already, and I wanted to drag it out even longer if I could, though I knew it was pointless. The end of the dance would be sooner than later and time was ticking at a rapid pace.

“Just until they announce Betty and Archie as the Homecoming king and queen. We need to cheer them on, Jug.”

Jughead sighed, exasperated.

“I know, I know…but…Veronica…have you actually _seen_ yourself in that dress? I can’t stop thinking about getting it off of you.”

I rolled my eyes at him but I chuckled.

“Oh? Is it _that_ hideous?” I asked playfully.

Jughead gave me a mock concerned look.

“A total train wreck, baby. Let’s go and get you out of it before you embarrass yourself.”

I gave him a shove in jest just as I noticed Cheryl Blossom making a beeline towards us.

It was too late to grab Jughead and run. Instead, I felt my heart drop down to the pit of my stomach at the sinister grin on her face. Maybe she wouldn't do what looked like she was chomping at the bit to do.

“Jughead! Veronica! Well, don’t you two look like a match made in heaven? Too bad it was _actually_ made in hell.”

Jughead looked at Cheryl with total confusion on his face, as if he had no idea why she had bothered to acknowledge us. And I could tell that he knew he had hurt her at one point, because the confused look he wore slowly turned into one of guilt.

Cheryl didn’t have to talk about Jughead breaking her heart in the past, everything she’d ever said about him had given it all away. Now Jughead was just confirming it as he stepped back from her as if not even wanting to ruin her air space with his presence.

“Cheryl, can we please talk later? Jughead and I are trying to enjoy the dance.” I said, giving her a desperate look to please just leave and let me enjoy what might be my last few hours of happiness with my boyfriend.

“Talk about what? About why you _still_ haven’t broken up with this dumpster dweller?” She asked as she crossed her arms over her sleeveless, red silk dress. Red like the devil herself.

“ _What_? Break up with me? Why the _hell_ would she do that, Cheryl?” Jughead asked, contempt building up in his voice.

Cheryl grinned so big, she looked nearly rabid.

“Because that was a part of our plan, Juggykins. Right, Veronica?”

I felt myself swallow but I couldn’t manage to breathe. She had outed me, and right in front of Jughead. She truly was evil incarnate.

“ _Cheryl_ …” I seethed as I clenched my fists.

Jughead looked over at me, but I couldn’t look him in the eyes.

“Oh, I guess Princess Pembrooke here didn’t tell you about our ingenious plan to break your hobo heart.”

Both Cheryl and Jughead stared at me, but I couldn’t get a word out. This was not how Jughead was supposed to find out. And I felt as though I was in the middle of my worst nightmare.

“You know, Jughead, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And you’ve scorned so many women with your lies and your games that we decided you needed a large dose of your own medicine.”

I listened in complete horror as Cheryl told Jughead the whole scheme. How it had begun, how I had willingly participated, how she had used me as her puppet to manipulate him, and ultimately, get him to fall for me.

“And you fell. Hook, line, and total sucker. Veronica did a _flawless_ job.”

I forced myself to look at Jughead’s face. He was glaring at the gymnasium floor, his hands in fists.

Finally, he looked over at me and my heart shattered.

“You’re not saying anything, Veronica. So it must all be true.”

Hot tears spilled down my cheeks. And I barely noticed the group of people that had formed around us, listening as the drama unfolded.

“It started out that way, but…Jughead…if you could just let me explain...”

But before he even had a chance to respond, Principal Weatherbee had taken to the stage to announce the king and queen of the Riverdale High Homecoming dance. Bodies pushed closer together to get a better view of the stage, and in the shuffle, Jughead had disappeared into the crowd.

“You weren’t going to do it, apparently. So _someone_ had to. I decided that someone should be me.” I heard Cheryl’s voice say behind me.

I knew it was the very last thing I should be doing, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself as I suddenly found myself swinging my arm around and allowing my fist connect to her face, right square in her nose.

The force of the hit sent Cheryl careening backwards to where she landed with a thud as several of my fellow Rivervixens rushed to her side as she lay sprawled on the hardwood floor.

“I know he hurt you, Cheryl, but get over it already. Move on and grow the hell up.”

And with that, I left the gymnasium just as I heard Archie and Betty being announced Homecoming king and queen.

But at that moment, all I cared about was finding my prince.

 

To be continued…

 

 


	9. Jughead's Point of View

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 9 is written from Jughead's point of view.

I never wanted to be like my dad when it came to drinking. Using it to deal with the heartaches of life instead of just enjoying it for some lighthearted fun with friends on a weekend night.

I never wanted to be sitting alone on the couch, feeling sorry for myself while I downed one beer after the other and played the whole Radiohead catalog on the old, dusty record player that we’d had in the living room long before I was even born.

But then, there were always exceptions to the rule, and tonight was one of those exceptions.

Having a pity party for myself and drowning in my sorrows had become my main priority for the remainder of my evening. And I didn’t care if it was all from the learned behavior of what I’d seen my father do far too many times that I had lost count.

Because the girl that I knew I should never have fallen for in the first place, had broken my heart. Just like she had intended to do from the very beginning.

I loosened my shiny, green tie that I had worn just for her, and tossed it to the shag carpeted floor before unbuttoning my dress shirt and shrugging off the suit jacket that had been making me feel as if I’d been practically suffocating all night.

Needless to say, suits weren’t my thing, and it was almost as if my body wanted desperately to reject the confines of it altogether. But I had worn it for her. I had wanted to impress her, to show her how important going to the Homecoming dance was to me. I wanted her to see that I was taking it seriously, because I knew what it was about to lead to, and I wanted all of it to be perfect for her.

Damn it, I had been _so_ fucking ready to tell Veronica Lodge that I was in love with her.

I hadn’t said those words to any other girl but Betty. But the love I felt for Veronica was different. It was something that I couldn’t even put words to, and I was a writer for fuck’s sake.

I sighed as I lay back against the worn fabric of my dad’s trailer couch and took a long swig of my beer. I inadvertently found myself running my hand over the cushions, remembering the nights Veronica and I had spent on this very same couch. Remembering her soft sighs as I touched her all over her incredible body. Just _thinking_ about her made me hard.

 _Fuck_ , she was perfect.

I should have known that it was all too good to be true. How could I have ever thought that a girl like Veronica could ever want to be with a guy like me, and on her own accord?

Truth was, she didn’t. She had been put up to it by Cheryl fucking Blossom of all people.

Cheryl, the _one_ girl who I never would have guessed would _ever_ want to date me no matter if I was the very last man on earth. But when I had taken her out a few times, she had become far too attached, and far too quickly. I had known almost immediately that I had made a mistake by dating her. She wasn’t the one for me, not by a long shot. And when I broke things off, it had turned ugly quickly.

Now that I knew the whole truth, I absolutely _loathed_ how much I had hurt her, but I had never intended to. I could never have guessed that Cheryl could feel for me as strongly as she had. But I guess you just can never know how you might affect someone else until given the chance. I didn’t think my chance with Cheryl would end so badly, but it had.

Yet, I hadn’t thought it was so bad to the point of her plotting revenge against me. Maybe I was naïve to think she’d get over it and move on. Maybe I didn’t think she had enough of a heart to even hurt. But at the dance, when she had told me about her whole plan, along with Veronica’s involvement in it, I realized just how foolish I had been. And in more ways than one.

Foolish for thinking I could get away with hurting women who had cared for me, and foolish for thinking that the girl who had made me realize how frivolous I had been with other people's hearts, could actually love me the way I loved her.

I had a lot of atoning to do. Cheryl’s plan had worked. I officially felt like shit.

And to top it all off, I hadn’t been completely honest with Veronica either. So how could I possibly be mad at her for what she had done? To be honest, I couldn’t.

My life was fucked up beyond all recognition. Fubar central. My heart had been utterly massacred.

It wasn’t just that Veronica was beautiful. Heartbreakingly beautiful. It was that attitude, that sensual seduction in everything she did. It was her confidence, the way she carried herself so gracefully, so proudly. It was the way she teased me and gave me a hard time to the point that I would tease her back. But the banter only turned us on even more. It was how honest she had been with me about her father. How she had held my hand while she had accepted his call from prison that one day while I was over at her apartment.

She’d allowed herself to be vulnerable with me. She had cried in my arms. She had laughed at my jokes. She had loved reading my stories. She told me about growing up in New York, how different her life had been, how much she had wanted to change. She’d told me how Riverdale had humbled her, made her realize what was important in life.

It was the way she would lay her head on my shoulder when we watched old movies at the Bijou, linking her pinkie finger with mine. The way she would pout when I didn’t tell her right away that I noticed her new lipstick color. The way she would eat half of my French fries at Pop’s even after she’d told me she wasn’t that hungry. It was the way she would wrap her arms around me when we rode my motorcycle as she whispered things in my ear that made me so hot for her, I would make her pay for it later when we were alone.

It was the way her eyes lit up when I talked about Jellybean, how she listened and gave the most heartfelt advice when I spoke about my dad. It was the way she made my fellow gang members laugh, how kind she was to them. That she was completely accepting when I told her that our date would have to end earlier than expected because I had Serpent business to deal with. It was the way she helped me get my grade up in math. How she fixed my beanie after it had gotten snagged on the bracelet I had bought her “just because.”

It was all of that and more that made thinking about it now hurt worse than the day my mom left town or my dad went to prison. It was the worst pain I’d felt in my entire life. And all because it had been a lie.

I was ready for another beer, ready to continue my brooding for as long as it was necessary.

But as I got up from the couch, I wondered if I was just hearing things or if there really _was_ someone knocking on the trailer door.

Unfortunately, I was in no mood for company.

“Go away!”

But then I heard that voice, and my body melted on the spot.

“Jughead…it’s me. Can we talk? Please?”

Veronica.

I couldn’t say no to her, no matter how badly I wanted to.

I took a deep breath before opening the door.

My heart slammed inside my chest as her eyes met mine. I could tell she had been crying, but she looked just as gorgeous as always.

“Can I come in?” She asked quietly, as if I was some type of wild animal ready to pounce.

I stood back to allow her to enter the trailer before closing the door behind her.

She was still wearing her green dress. It was the most incredible shade of green I had ever seen. I couldn’t look away.

Veronica turned to look at me, her eyes darting around the trailer nervously. I didn’t want her apologies, I didn’t want to hear her tell me that she didn’t mean for things to get out of hand, I didn’t want to hear her say that she regretted getting involved with Cheryl's bullshit games.

I didn’t care about any of that. I had already forgiven her. All I wanted to hear was something I had been wanting to hear ever since I had picked her up earlier that night. I didn’t know if that was even a possibility, but I prayed anyway.

“Jughead…I should have told you a long time ago about Cheryl’s idiotic plan and my part in it. But the only reason why I didn’t was because I…I was afraid.”

Being afraid wasn’t like Veronica at all. And it was her fearlessness that I often times admired about her. I’d never known her to fear much of anything, except how life would be now that her dad was locked away. But then again, did I even really know Veronica Lodge? The _real_ Veronica Lodge?

I wanted to believe that I _did_ know who she really was. I couldn’t imagine that she had faked everything. That she had been _that_ good of an actress. I wanted more than anything to know that my dream girl hadn’t really been just that, a dream.

Veronica must have easily noticed the bemused look on my face, because she continued.

“I was afraid that I…that I would lose you. And I don’t want to lose you now or ever. Because…Jughead…I…I’m in lo-“

But I quickly cut her off.

“Don’t say it, Veronica.” I told her sternly.

I couldn’t let her say what I knew she was about to say, no matter how bad I was dying to hear it. Not until she knew everything too.

“What? Why?” She asked, perplexed and hurt by my refusal to allow her to say what she had clearly come here to say.

The injured look on her lovely face killed me, but she would soon understand.

“Because you weren’t the _only_ one who was doing something deceitful.”

She stared at me, and I could practically feel the blood racing through my veins. She had been just about to tell me how she really felt about me. That she loved me. I felt a mixture of fear and elation. I was taking a big chance knowing that I could lose her for good once I told her the truth.

“Sweetpea…and the other guys…they had made a bet with me that I wouldn’t be able to get you to go to Homecoming with me. That’s why they had come to the Drive-In that night…to witness me asking you to go as my date and to see what your answer would be…”

It took every fiber in my being to not look away from her as I let my words sink in.

“What they _didn’t_ know was that I only took part in the bet in the first place so that I would have an excuse to talk to you. I was _so_ nervous… _so_ fucking intimidated by you…I _never_ would have had the courage to talk to you, let alone _kiss_ you the way I did in the hallway that day. And I would never have had the nerve to ask you out if it hadn’t been for them goading me into it.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the lie being lifted from my shoulders, even though I had no idea where it would leave me and Veronica now.

“I regret not telling you the truth sooner, but I _don’t_ regret agreeing to it because it gave me the chance to be with you. And being with you, every second of it…it was all genuine for me. It was _always_ me, Veronica. And when you seemed as if you felt the same way about me, I couldn’t believe it. But…I didn’t know that…that it wasn’t real.”

Veronica shook her head as she stepped towards me and took my face in her hands. Her touch always made me feel lightheaded. She had a power over me that could not be explained.

“Oh, babe…it _is_ real, and it _was_ real. Everything I told you, everything we experienced together…it wasn’t a lie, Jughead. Okay, maybe I don’t _love_ wearing leather pants and the color red, but everything else? It was _me_.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. As much as I loved seeing Veronica in leather, I knew it didn’t seem like her, but I didn’t mind. If she only ever wanted to wear sweatpants and t-shirts, I would be just as happy to be with her and her alone.

“And if you think about it…if we hadn’t gotten involved in these stupid games, we wouldn’t have ended up where we are now.” She said as she gazed at me with those deep brown, beautifully intense eyes.

I smiled as I pulled her to me, my arms wrapped snugly around her waist.

“And where are we exactly?” I asked, wanting nothing more than to kiss her until her lips were swollen from the force of my own.

“Better people, and better together.” She replied as she ran a finger slowly across my bottom lip.

“You’re right...and I love you.” I told her as I let my hand disappear underneath her dress.

Whether I truly deserved it or not, I was getting a second chance at giving her the night she deserved. The night I had been dreaming about giving her ever since the first time I had laid eyes on her that first day of school when I saw her walking out by the football field, too embarrassed to have the fancy town car drop her off in front of the main building.

I knew right then that she was unlike any other girl I’d ever seen before. And it was from that moment on that I was completely besotted by the new girl from the big city.

Veronica, my incredible girlfriend, smiled that smile that always drove me crazy for her. That made me greedy with lust for her. That made me fall in love with her. I was under her spell, and nothing would ever break it.

“Of course I'm right...and I love you too.”

 

The End.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, for the kudos, and the notes! I appreciate all the love SO MUCH. It means everything to me when it comes to my fic writing!
> 
> And thank you to the anonymous person on Tumblr who asked for me to write a fic based on the prompt they gave me!


End file.
